US woman duped in Nigeria online romance scandal
LAGOS, (CAJ News) – NIGERIA’S anticorruption agencies have arraigned a suspected internet fraudster for allegedly conning a United States woman of vast amounts of foreign currency in an online romance scam.
Gbenga Yusuf John, the suspect, has appeared at the State High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and forgery.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges the accused person, while posing as an American working in Nigeria, conned the US woman whom he met on a dating site by claiming that he owned a number of rental properties in Southwest Florida in the US.
Upon their meeting, the accused person allegedly told the victim that he was currently in Africa to give aid to victims of Ebola disease and sought her assistance in managing his rental deposit while he was away.
The unsuspecting victim allegedly deposited all the cheques, acquired cash and then transferred the funds through Western Union to the accused.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Presiding Officer, Justice Nicol-Clay, has remanded the accused in prison custody and adjourned the matter to June 20 for hearing of the bail application and the continuation of trial.
– CAJ News
