A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Chima Nkwocha also known as Young Billionaire to two years imprisonment for impersonation and money laundering.
Nkwocha was sentenced five months after being arrested and arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission for fraudulently impersonating three individuals in Google Voice in an attempt to obtain $340, 000 from his victim.
The convict, who was arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite faced a two-count charge bordering on cheating by impersonation and money laundering.
One of the counts read: “That you, Chima Hyginus Nkwocha (AKA Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown & Chettot), sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently impersonate Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown, and Chiress Riffatt on Gmail and Google Voice using the Gmail addresses frankcorbett272@gmail and chriressrifatt@gmail with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtaining a cumulative sum of Three Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($345,000) from Linda Wheeler, an American, and receiving the naira equivalent through Ginux Global Nigeria Limited with account No. 1228782493 domiciled in Zenith Bank, thereby committing an offense contrary to Section 22(2) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Act.”
After hearing the charges against him, Nkwocha pleaded guilty to the crimes, prompting the prosecution counsel, Lanre Olanrewaju, to pray the court to convict him accordingly.
According to Olanrewaju, the convict was arrested in August 2024 in the Lugbe area of Abuja following intelligence received by the EFCC’s Advanced Fee Fraud Section.
Items recovered during his arrest as quoted by the prosecution counsel include A black Mercedes Benz ML 350 with registration no. B-2 and Chassis no. 4JGDA5HB9DA105827, two gold necklaces with pendants, one gold bracelet, $2,200 cash, N90,280,934.00 in the Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd Zenith Bank (account no.122872493), for which Nkwocha was the sole signatory.
Aside from that, the anti-graft agency also recovered a three-bedroom terrace duplex at Cookies Court 2, 2nd Avenue, Ocean Palm Estate, Ogombo, Sangotedo, Ajah, Lagos, a three-bedroom bungalow and two self-contained apartments situated on Plot B023, Standard Estate, Galadima, Abuja, and a plot of land measuring about 300 square meters at Eko Beach City, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, two Zenith Bank drafts worth N5,000,000 and N3,000,000, dated September 12, 2024, and October 17, 2024, respectively. An iPhone 13 Pro Max, a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Furthermore, Olanrewaju tendered several pieces of evidence, including the defendant’s extrajudicial statements, electronic devices, and forensic investigation reports among others.
Justice Nwite, after reviewing the pieces of evidence submitted by the EFCC counsel, found Nkwocha guilty and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment with an option to pay N two million fine. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of some of Nkwocha’s properties and valuables as proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
These include the black Mercedes Benz ML 350, gold jewelry and $2,200 cash, N90 billion in the Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd Zenith Bank account, properties in Lagos, Abuja, and Lekki, the Zenith Bank drafts, and the electronic devices recovered from the convict.
Nkwocha’s journey to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested for internet fraud.
