RSN™ Scam News: Nigerians Arrest $1,450,000 CDN Dollar Romance Scammer
The Nigeria Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] has arrested and arraigned the scammer Oke Omoniyi Benjamin
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office has arraigned one Oke Omoniyi Benjamin, 33, before Justice U. N. Agomo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense and possession of documents containing false pretense contrary to Nigeria’s Section1 (1), Section 6 and 8 punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
Benjamin was arrested following an Intelligence Report received in August, 2018, alleging that he is involved in internet fraud and has also defrauded as many as 1,000 foreigners of their money through online fraudulent schemes including romance scams.
The report, however, stated that Benjamin used the proceeds of his fraud to buy two cars, and also own a unisex beauty salon known as “Signatures Unisex Salon” located at No. 238, Ilawe Road, opposite Baptist School, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
At the point of arrest, Operatives of the Commission [EFCC] recovered an Acura TL, 2010 with Registration Number BDG 969FH and a Lexus ES 300, 2002 model with Registration Number EPE 829FJ, two Laptops, two Phones, forged documents, and some foreign cheques.
One of the criminal charge counts reads:
“That you Oke Omoniyi Benjamin on or about the 27th of April, 2018 at Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $1,450,000 Canadian Dollars (One Million Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Canadian Dollars) through Western Union money transfer from one Ms. Joan Derk, a Canadian by falsely representing that you are one “Sergeant Johnson” a United States of America Marine and that the money was needed for preparations towards your marriage with her; which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a)and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006”.
Photo Gallery of Sargent Smit Johnson (believed to be the fake identity used)
“That you Oke Omoniyi Benjamin on or about the 3rd October, 2018 at Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, knowingly had in your possession some documents to wit: online Instagram conversation with one Ms. Karen Hart a lady, citizen of United States of America, wherein you pretended to be one “Sergeant Johnson” of the United States of America Marine, which document contained false pretences and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006”.
Benjamin-Oke Arrested In Nigeria
Benjamin, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, S. M. Galadanchi approached the court for a trial date. The defense counsel, C.O. Omukhafe presented a bail application on behalf of the defendant to which prosecution counsel, however, asked the court for time to study and enable him to react to the application.
Justice Agomo adjourned till 13th and 27th November 2018 for the hearing on the bail application and the commencement of trial. The defendant was remanded in the Federal Prison, Ado Ekiti pending the hearing of his bail application.
The Cash And Property Have Been Seized By The EFCC And Is Not Expected To Be Returned To The Victims
This Arrest Represents One Of The Largest Individual (Non-Cartel) Scammer Arrests In Terms Of The Money Scammed From Individual Victims.
RSN™ Team a division of SCARS™ Miami Florida U.S.A.
SCARS|EDUCATION™ RomanceScamsNow.com™ is the official knowledge and victims' support publication of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams™ Incorporated [SCARS]™ It is edited and published by the SCARS Team. Contact@AgainstScams.org SCARS is the world's leading anti-scam charitable nonprofit nongovernmental organization, based in Miami Florida U.S.A. Its founder has been involved in combating online fraud since 1991. SCARS™ - the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. is a charitable nonprofit nongovernmental organization (NGO) dedicated to advocating victim's causes and changing government and law enforcement attitudes toward online fraud for good! Please join us in becoming a member of SCARS - it's free! Add your voice so that the world will listen at last - just go to www.AgainstScams.org. The SCARS|RSN website and all of our publications (including social media) are maintained by our own staff employees and volunteers to provide you the most up to date information about scams & scammers from around the world. We show you how to avoid them or recover from them. SCARS is the only registered online crime victims' assistance & support organization in the world. Be sure to report scammers here. Also, visit our main Facebook page for more information about romance scams.
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