By Abigail Philip David
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Directorate, has secured convictions for seven internet fraudsters. The judgments were delivered by Justices R.M. Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, and Justice A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court.
The individuals faced charges related to money laundering, impersonation, and cybercrime. The convicts, identified as Agbecha Samson (aka Michelle Pfeiffer), Shamsudeen Alubankudi (aka Keren Adler), Paul Wadai (aka Odd Murphy), Onomza Gwamna (aka Dave Owen), Godswill Effiong, Esogban Godtemple (aka Lahm Moses), and Odeyale Victor (aka Candice Weiss), were prosecuted on separate counts.
In a statement shared on the EFCC’s official X handle, one of the cases cited involved Agbecha Samson, who allegedly retained over N20 million obtained from a U.S. citizen through fraudulent means. Another case highlighted Shamsudeen Alubankudi, who impersonated an FBI undercover agent and duped a U.S. resident of $301.
All seven defendants pleaded guilty to their charges. The court handed down various sentences, including two to seven years in prison with options for fines. Victor and Gwamna received two-year sentences with an option of N600,000 in fines each, while Effiong and Alubankudi received three-year sentences with fines of N700,000 and N500,000, respectively. Samson and Godtemple were sentenced to five years, with fines of N700,000 and N500,000, respectively, and Wadai received the highest sentence of seven years or a fine of N700,000.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the convicts’ phones, a computer, a Lexus car, and funds traced to their accounts, all proceeds of their fraudulent activities, to the Federal Government.
According to the EFCC, the fraudsters were apprehended in Minna, Niger State, based on credible intelligence about their internet scams.
