Last Updated on September 7, 2020 by SCARS Editorial Team

SCARSSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS.™ ScamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. News: Suspected Nigerian Internet Fraudsters Remanded in Prison for $1Million FraudFraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain (money or other assets), or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compensation) or criminal law (e.g., a fraud perpetrator may be prosecuted and imprisoned by governmental authorities), or it may cause no loss of money, property, or legal right but still be an element of another civil or criminal wrong. The purpose of fraud may be monetary gain or other benefits, for example by obtaining a passport, travel document, or driver's license, or mortgage fraud, where the perpetrator may attempt to qualify for a mortgage by way of false statements. A fraud can also be a hoax, which is a distinct concept that involves deliberate deception without the intention of gain or of materially damaging or depriving a victim.

From Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Justice Mohammed Sanni of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has remanded a suspected fraudsterFraudster A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer., Oghenekevwe Innocent Akinnawo (a.k.a Rodriguez Filiberto, Richard Welburn and Scott Mendez) in prison custody, following his arraignment on Thursday , March 7, 2019 on a seven-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $1, 138,000( One Million One Hundred and Thirty Eight Million Dollars)only.

Akinnawo ran into troubles when he was arrested by operatives of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCCEFCC Economic and Financial Crimes Commission The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud (419 fraud), scams, and money laundering. The EFCC was established in 2003, partially in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of 23 countries non-cooperative in the international community's efforts to fight money laundering. The agency has its head office in Abuja, Nigeria., Port Harcourt’s Zonal Office on alleged fraudulent activities ranging from love scamLove scam Dating scammers or love scammers create fake identities on dating apps and social media to coax you into fake online relationships. They often quickly move to personal channels such as phone or email, using your trust to acquire money or personal info, or help you hide their criminal activities. You'll probably never meet them in person. This is a relationship scam. on numerous dating sites, obtaining money by false pretences and swindling two Americans: Lucille De Mattos and Patricia Hawks on a phony oil shipment deal.

He was docked on the basis of investigation activities that implicated him.

Count One of the charge read: That you Oghenekewe Innocent Akinnawo, ( aka Rodriguez Filiberto, Richard Welburn and Scott Mendez) and Theresa Thornton ( at large) sometimes in February in 2018 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to do an unlawful act to wit: obtain money under false pretence from one Lucille De Mattos, an American citizen and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) and punishable under Section 1( 3) of the Advance Fee FraudAdvance Fee Fraud An advance fee scam or fraud is a form of fraud and is one of the most common types of online confidence tricks. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster claims will be used to obtain the large sum. If a victim makes the payment, the fraudster either invents a series of further fees for the victim or simply disappears. and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

Count Two read: “That you Oghenekewe Innocent Akinnawo, ( aka Rodriguez Filiberto, Welburn and Scott Mendez and Theresa Thornton ( at large) sometimes in February in 2018 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did obtain the the sum of $1,030,000 (One Million and Thirty Thousand Dollars) only from one Lucille De Mattos, an American citizen under the false pretence that the sum was an investment and which pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1( 1) (a) and punishable under Section 1( 3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006”.

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when read to him.

Prosecution counsel, A. Arogbha told the court that he was ready for trial and prayed for a trial date. However, defense counsel, Reuben Wanogho made an application for bail but could not be heard because Arogbha told the court that he was served the application late and needed time to respond to it.

Justice Sanni thereafter adjourned the matter to March 13, 2019, for the hearing of bail application and remanded the defendant in prison custody.

He also adjourned commencement of trial to April 8 and 11, 2019.

 

 
SCARS™ Team
A SCARS Division
Miami Florida U.S.A.

 

TAGS: Nigerian ScammerScammer A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer., Scammer Arrested, Sent To Jail, Nigerian Court, EFCC, Romance Scammer, Fraudster,

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Tell us about your experiences with Romance Scammers in our Scams Discussion Forum on Facebook »

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FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?

It is essential that law enforcement knows about scamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.

Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:

1. Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
2. Your National Police or FBIFBI FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, the FBI is also a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. A leading U.S. counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, including financial fraud. (www.IC3.gov »)
3. The SCARS|CDN™ Cybercriminal Data Network – Worldwide Reporting Network HERE » or on www.Anyscam.com »

This helps your government understand the problem, and allows law enforcement to add scammers on watch lists worldwide.

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Visit our NEW Main SCARS Facebook page for much more information about scams and online crime: www.facebook.com/SCARS.News.And.Information »

 

To learn more about SCARS visit www.AgainstScams.org

Please be sure to report all scammers HERE » or on www.Anyscam.com »

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