LAUTECH student jailed for defrauding American of $104,000
A 500-level student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Adebowale Abiola, has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment for fraud.
He was convicted by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos Special Offences Court for defrauding an American of $104,500.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested Mr Abiola in Lekki following a tip-off.
Mr Abiola, the EFCC said, presented himself as Burton J. Smith, a citizen of the United States of American and former military officer, to defraud his victim.
While using the identity of Smith, Mr Abiola scammed Courtney Selina Kaye, who sent money to him by selling $104,500 bitcoin from her wallet on the local bitcoin website in 2019.
The EFCC arraigned Mr Abiola on a one-count amended charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents containing false pretence.
After Mr Abiola pleaded guilty, the prosecuting counsel, I. A. Mohammed, told the court about the plea bargain he entered into with the commission and reviewed the case’s facts.
In her judgment, Ms Taiwo sentenced him to one-year imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine. The convict will forfeit N5 million the EFCC recovered from him.
The judge also ordered the seizure of Mr Abiola’s black Mercedes Benz GLK (AKD 573 GK). The money and the vehicle will go to his victim.
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