The Federal High Court, Lagos Division, has sentenced a man, Kelechi Declan James, to three years’ imprisonment for impersonating a person identified as David Hernandez on Facebook.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said that the case dates back to December 2024, when the petitioner, who was not named, petitioned the commission on how Mr James allegedly scammed him under the guise of foreign exchange scheme. 

It was gathered that Mr James had approached the petitioner, claiming that his business partners needed foreign currency. Persuaded by the claim, the victim sourced and transferred $135,000 in the hope of receiving its naira equivalent.

“According to the petition received by the Commission, the petitioner alleged that sometime in December 2024, the suspect approached him, claiming to have Nigerian business partners who required foreign currency exchange services.

“The suspect allegedly persuaded the petitioner to source and transfer a total of One Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand Dollars ($135,000), equivalent to Two Hundred and One Million, One Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Three Naira, Fifty Kobo (N201,165,843.50) into an account nominated by him,” the anti-grant agency said. 

However, despite acknowledging receipt of the money, Mr James failed to remit its naira equivalent or refund the $135,000, prompting the petitioner to report the case to the EFCC, which eventually arraigned the convict in court. 

The petitioner further alleged that despite acknowledging receipt of the funds, the suspect failed to remit the agreed naira equivalent or refund the dollars. All efforts by him to recover the funds reportedly proved unsuccessful.

Delivering judgement in the case on October 9, Justice Daniel Osiagor sentenced Mr James to three years’ imprisonment but provided him with the option of a N300,000 fine. The court also ordered him to undertake three days of community service in connection with the sentence.