The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended a Nigerian internet fraudster, Emmanuel Dike Chidiebere, who has been on the watch list of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) being trailed for conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering.
Chidiebere is being suspected to have conned some victims in America, Cote D’Ivoire and Poland, defrauding them of undisclosed amount of money and went underground. Three members of the syndicate have been at large.
The EFCC, Enugu Zonal Command, had disclosed that acting on verified intelligence, operatives of the Commission on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, tracked the suspect to Orlu Local Government Area, Imo State, where he was arrested.
The commission added that Osondu Igwilo and Kelechi Vitalis Anozie, were arrested in Lagos and Enugu,noting that they have been on the watch list of the FBI.
EFCC director of public affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement disclosed that 52 years old Igwilo, leader of a criminal network of ‘catchers’, was arrested at a studio in the Sangotedo environs in Lagos for alleged fraud, money laundering, and identity theft to the tune of about $100 million.
Uwujaren highlighted: “Before their arrest, Igwilo and his accomplices had allegedly been involved in an advance-fee scheme that involved false promises of investment funding by individuals who impersonated some United States of America (USA) bank officials in person and via the internet.
“Investigation revealed that those who fell victims of the suspects’ criminal activities were asked to make certain payments before they could receive their funding.
“It was also revealed that proceeds of the scheme were allegedly laundered through U.S. bank accounts and diverted back to the alleged perpetrators in Nigeria.”
Uwujaren stated that Igwilo was consequently placed on the FBI watchlist following a criminal complaint filed against him at the U.S. District Court in Houston, Texas, in December 2016.
Uwujaren revealed that EFCC operatives recovered five houses located in choice areas of Lagos from Igwilo after his arrest.
EFCC further said that Anozie, a suspected fraudster, has been declared wanted since 2019.
Uwujaren revealed that EFCC operatives arrested Anozie on the 10th of March, following an investigative trail of activities not unconnected to fraud and illegal money laundering.
According to EFCC, Anozie, a self-professed clergyman, and four other suspects – Valentine Iro, Ekene Ekechukwu (alias Ogedi Power), Bright Azubuike (alias Bright Bauer Azubuike), and Ifeanyi Junior, allegedly defrauded one F.F, who lives in Illinois, United States, of $135,800 and another $47,000.
Anozie, founder of a church, Praying City Church in Owerri, Imo State, was first placed on FBI watch list in 2019, after announcing charges against 80 people, most of whom, are Nigerians, in a magnitude of fraud and money laundering operations involving millions of dollars from victims of internet con jobs.