The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Dennis Tamarakuro, also referred to as Keisha Reynolds, for defrauding a U.S.-based non-governmental organisation, Being pregnant Help Community of $71,795.41.
The conviction was delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Court docket, Maitama, Abuja, following Tamarakuro’s responsible plea to a one-count cost of cybercrime.
The cost towards him said:
“That you just, DENNIS TAMARAKURO (a.ok.a Keisha Reynolds) someday in December 2024 at Abuja inside the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court docket, with intent to defraud, falsely represented your self as Keisha Reynolds, a feminine personal investor in america of America, and in that assumed character obtained the sum of $71,795.41 (Seventy-One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-5 {Dollars}, Forty-One Cents) from one Philbert, via Bybit, and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Part 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, and so forth.) Act, 2015 as Amended in 2024 and punishable beneath Part 22(2)(b)(iv) of the identical Act.”
He pleaded responsible when the cost was learn.
How the NGO was defrauded
Prosecution counsel, Maryam Aminu Ahmed, referred to as EFCC investigator, Ogunjobi Olalekan, to current the details of the case.
Olalekan advised the court docket that intelligence from the Jackson Township Police Division within the U.S. revealed that the NGO, Being pregnant Help Community, was defrauded after its bank particulars have been compromised and its funds diverted via a romance rip-off turned cash mule scheme.
He defined that the stolen funds have been moved via intermediaries, together with a suspect named Libson Junior, earlier than being transformed into cryptocurrency and traced to a pockets owned by Tamarakuro on Bybit alternate.
“Upon arrest, the allegation was dropped at his consideration within the presence of his lawyer. He was interviewed beneath video recording, cautioned and he made a voluntary assertion,” mentioned Olalekan
Restoration of funds
The EFCC investigator confirmed that Tamarakuro obtained 0.27 Bitcoin twice from Libson Junior and later withdrew $18,000 price of cryptocurrency via Busha alternate.
Each Bybit and Busha confirmed the accounts belonged to the convict.
The EFCC recovered $22,157.40 from Bybit and $20,121.41 from Busha, totalling greater than $42,000, whereas the steadiness of the funds was blocked by a U.S. bank.
Paperwork, together with Tamarakuro’s voluntary assertion and correspondences with the exchanges, have been admitted as displays.
Defence counsel, Laye Aeemokoya, pleaded with the court docket for mercy, citing Tamarakuro’s standing as a first-time offender, a father, and caregiver to his aged mom. He added that every one proceeds of the crime had been recovered.
Court docket’s resolution
In his judgment, Justice Nwite sentenced Tamarakuro to at least one 12 months imprisonment with an possibility of a N1 million superb payable to the Federal Authorities.
The decide additionally ordered that the recovered funds be forfeited to the sufferer and directed the convict to depose to an affidavit of fine conduct.
What you must know
The EFCC has in latest months intensified its crackdown on fraudulent actions. One of many high-profile arrests was that of Ahamba Tochukwu, Chief Govt Officer of Gavice Logistics Restricted, who’s accused of operating a Ponzi-style logistics funding scheme that allegedly defrauded over 400 traders of greater than N2 billion.
- He reportedly lured victims with guarantees of as much as 50% returns on funding, however since November 2024, traders have been unable to get well their funds after Tochukwu allegedly disappeared.
- In line with the EFCC, Tochukwu promoted Gavice Logistics as a enterprise protecting haulage, courier, and e-commerce, utilizing these claims to win the belief of unsuspecting traders. He was arrested after months of manhunt and is presently being interrogated over the scheme.
- In March 2025, the EFCC publicly warned Nigerians about 58 suspected Ponzi operators. These entities have been neither registered with the CBN nor the SEC, and the Fee famous that some have already been convicted, whereas others are dealing with court docket proceedings or awaiting arraignment.
EFCC’s Port Harcourt arm arraigned Treasured Williams, a director at Glossolalia Nigeria Ltd and Pelegend Nigeria Ltd, over a staggering N13.8 billion Ponzi scheme fraud. In line with the EFCC, Williams allegedly obtained funds traced to Maxwell Chizi Odum, the founding father of MBA Buying and selling and Capital Funding Ltd who stays at massive, together with proceeds from over 3,000 unsuspecting traders promised month-to-month returns of 10 to fifteen %.
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