Four young men have been sentenced in Kaduna for scamming people online using fake names and false promises.
The Kaduna State High Court found Promise Usman, Daniel Chinedu, Fahad Yusuf Badamasi, and Emmanuel Chidera Udochukwu guilty of online fraud and impersonation. They were taken to court by the Kaduna office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Each man was charged with different offences such as lying, cheating, and pretending to be someone else online to collect money from people.
Usman tricked several victims into sending him ₦450,000 by pretending to be an investment expert named “Maryam Mohammed” on Facebook. Chinedu used the name of a popular Hollywood actress, “Reese Witherspoon,” to deceive an American citizen, Gene Virmilya, and collected $500 from him.
All four men admitted they were guilty. EFCC’s lawyer, M.O. Arumemi, asked the judge to give them punishment, while their defence lawyers pleaded for mercy, saying the men regretted their actions.
Justice Isyaka sentenced Badamasi and Udochukwu to two years in prison each, or they could pay a fine of ₦300,000 instead. Their phones—Huawei Y6 Pro 2020 and iPhone 7—were taken by the government.
Usman received a five-year sentence but had the option to pay a ₦200,000 fine instead. His iPhone 13 was also seized. Chinedu was given the same five-year sentence or a ₦150,000 fine. The judge also ordered that his iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and the $500 he collected be forfeited.
According to the EFCC, the four were arrested in the Mahuta, Babar Saura, and Sabo areas of Kaduna after they received tips about their fraudulent online activities.
