Rivers Police Nab Online Scammers in N110m Fraud Case

Canada-based Nigerian Woman Defrauded: Rivers Police Arrest Suspects

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two individuals, Michael Onyedikachi and Akachukwu Benedict, for allegedly defrauding a Canada-based Nigerian woman, Sandra Austin, of N110 million.

The scam began in February 2022 when Sandra received a Facebook friend request from an individual posing as “Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu.”

After initial hesitation, she accepted the request, leading to frequent communications. The scammer claimed to be an engineer capable of assisting her in constructing properties in Nigeria. He shared images of luxurious homes purportedly built by him in upscale areas like Ajah, Lagos, and persuaded Sandra to invest in one of these properties, which he claimed would cost N150 million.

Trusting his claims, Sandra transferred a total of N110 million between 2022 and 2024. After the final payment of N30 million, she was abruptly blocked from all communication channels.

Determined to seek justice, Sandra contacted her family in Nigeria, who reported the matter to the police. The case was referred to the C4i Intelligence Unit in Port Harcourt for investigation. The suspects attempted to intimidate Sandra to deter her from involving the authorities.

However, through intelligence-led policing, operatives apprehended Michael in Enugu on August 14, 2024, and Akachukwu in Enugu on August 16, 2024. Michael confessed to creating the fake account and using downloaded images of construction projects to deceive Sandra.

Akachukwu admitted to introducing Michael to online fraud in 2022 and confessed to swindling an American woman out of $600 in 2021.

The arrest of these suspects highlights the ongoing issue of online scams targeting individuals both within Nigeria and abroad.

It underscores the importance of vigilance and skepticism when engaging with individuals online, especially when financial transactions are involved.