Court seizes N30m found in Internet fraudster’s account

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday seized the N30.5m found in the bank account of an alleged Internet scammer, Orobor George aka Georgio Machini.

George, who was said to have fled to the United Kingdom, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for advanced fee fraud.

The suspect allegedly swindled an Hong Kong lady of  $250,000 under the pretext of a fake marriage proposal.

Justice Mohammed Idris on Friday ordered that the suspect’s account with Enterprise Bank, having a credit balance of N30,546, 998.09, be frozen.

EFCC lawyer, Mustapha Aliyu,had narrated to  the judge how the Hong Kong lady met George online sometime in 2012, where they started a romantic relationship with George promising to marry the victim.

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George was said to have, however,  cut ties with the victim after the victim had severally sent money to him so he could travel to Hong Kong where he was to marry the lady.

According to the EFCC prosecutor, George received the monies through Western Union money transfer, which was routed through Malaysia to the accounts of the alleged fraudster in Nigeria.

The prosecutor further informed the judge that some of the funds were also traced to the bank accounts of the suspect’s mother, Mrs. Orobor Ekhoesemwenyale, with Guaranty Trust Bank and First Bank.

The prosecutor, however, said the sum found in the suspect’s mother’s accounts,  totalling N13,402,468.67, had been seized by the anti-graft agencies pending the conclusion of investigations.

According to him, investigation by the EFCC revealed that George, who used to be based in Benin City, Edo State,  had left Nigeria sometime in 2013 and was now based in Kent, United Kingdom.

After hearing argument from the prosecutor on Friday, Justic Idris ordered that the suspect’s bank accounts be frozen.

The judge also ordered Enterprise Bank to furnish EFCC with the mandate card, particulars of referees, photograph of the operator, statement of accounts from the inception till date, and other relevant documents in respect of the accounts belonging to the said alleged fraudster, George.

Punch