Scammer gets 6 years

A Perth man has reportedly been jailed for six years for his role in a Nigerian-style scam campaign that netted $132,400 from four Australian victims.

The West Australian newspaper reported this morning that 30-year-old Tuoyo Clement Nikaghanri had been sentenced to six years in prison for his part in the scam, which reportedly drew in victims via emails and internet sites between 2005 and 2008.

The newspaper reported that the sentence was handed down by District Court Judge Phillip Eaton. WA Police Detective Senior Constable Jamie McDonald, who works in WA Police’s Technology Crime Investigations Unit, confirmed the report was accurate.

The West Australian reported that Nikaghanri became involved in the scam to pay off a $96,000 credit card debt. He reportedly held four passports and was sentenced on fraud and passport violation charges.

This article was originally posted on ZDNet Australia.

A LEADING eye surgeon conned out of £350,000 in an internet scam

A LEADING eye surgeon was conned out of £350,000 in an internet scam.
Nigerian fraudster Chinaenye Mokelu sent out a spam email asking UK bank account holders to help him transfer his “$300million fortune” to Britain.

Consultant Fawzia Ashkanani replied, and was duped into transferring £350,000 into Mokelu’s bank accounts in return for a slice of his wealth.

She even travelled from her home in Dumfries, Scotland, to meet Mokelu in London, where he showed her a suitcase full of fake cash.

Mokelu, 44, of Grays, Essex, admitted conspiracy to defraud.

He was remanded in custody for sentencing in June.

Basildon Crown Court heard cops traced just £30,000 of the £350,000.

Other conspirators are still at large.

Nigerian jailed for defrauding Australian

By Henry Ojelu

A first class honours graduate of Geography, from the University of Lagos, Lawal Adewale Nurudeem, wept uncontrollably yesterday, at the Ikeja High Court, as he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for defrauding an Australian woman of over N8 million. Adewale was alleged to have, in November, 2007, under the pretext of being a British national involved in a fatal accident, defrauded Rosalene Sunna, an Australian, who, because of his unfortunate fate, kindly opted to extend financial assistance to him via the internet. According to the information on the charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Adewale posted a pathetic picture of a Briton involved in a motor accident in Nigeria on the internet, with the aim of soliciting financial assistance from any kind individual. Kind-hearted 56-year-old Rosalene fell for the scam and initially sent some money to Adewale who was hale and hearty in Lagos. To further milk Rosalene, Adewale appealed for more assistance and she subsequently sent more money thinking she was helping someone in genuine need. Adewale’s fraudulent acts brought him opulence, making him to open fat accounts with several banks, acquired landed properties and a car. Adewale’s cup was full when an official of the internet intelligence agency in Australia discovered the irregularities in the correspondence between him and Rosalene. The EFCC was duly notified via a petition and Adewale was picked up at Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, while he was about to pick up another package from his benefactor in a bank in Ikorodu. On arrest, Adewale made a confessional statement acknowledging his fraudulent acts, but later pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in court. He later entered into a plea bargain changing his plea to guilty as charged. He wept in the dock all through the court proceedings. After listening to Adewale’s lawyer, Mr. Omolaja’s emotion-laden plea for mercy, the presiding judge, justice Obadina, while condemning Adewale for choosing to follow the infamous path of internet scam, sentenced him to a 12-month jail term. The judge also instructed him to prostrate and apologise to his father who was present in court, for embarrassing him and soiling their family name.