Lagos police reject $100K bribe offer from notorious yahoo boy

Patrick Akpoguma, a 28-year-old suspected internet fraudster, offered a $100,000 (approximately ₦174 million) bribe to the Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos in an attempt to secure his release.

The suspect is accused of multiple cyber crimes, including romance scams, identity theft, hacking, cryptocurrency fraud, ritualism, and cultism.

While speaking with journalists, the Mechanical Engineering graduate admitted to the crimes and confessed that the bribe was part of his efforts to clear his name.

“I felt too intelligent to work for a salary, which is why I turned to internet fraud three years ago. I’ve made over $500,000 since then. I own a house in Lagos, another in Edo State, and a GLE Benz worth ₦100 million.

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Once I defraud people and feel I’ve taken enough from them, I simply walk away. I don’t leave them penniless,” he said.

Meanwhile, the assistant Inspector General (AIG) Adegoke Fayoade revealed that the investigation began on November 7, 2024 following reports from residents of Chevron Drive, Lekki, where the suspect resides.

According to AIG Fayoade: “Patrick Akpoguma admitted to being involved in what is known as romance scams and other cryptocurrency-related scams.

He meets various people online and presents himself as a notable and famous Caucasian American, such as Colonel Matt Herbert, a serving U.S. Army officer currently on a peacekeeping mission in Iran.