EFCC nabs suspect over alleged N369.3m fraud in Enugu

Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested one Okeke Chinedu Callistus, (also known as Ejike Okeke Michael) a suspected serial fraudster, over alleged case of forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N369, 325, 000. 00 (Three Hundred and Sixty-nine Million, Three Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Naira) from two victims.

Two petitioners;  Ezeugwu Leonard Chinedu and Ernest Agu alleged that they were defrauded by Callistus.  Chinedu said he paid the sum of N157, 325, 000. 00 (One Hundred and Fifty-seven Million, Three Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Naira) to the suspect, who presented himself as a Bureau De Change operator, for onward transmission to his business partner in China.

He said that the suspect remitted only N24, 030, 000. 00 (Twenty Four Million, Thirty Thousand Naira) to his partner in China and gave him (the petitioner), telex copies of ABA Bank of Cambodia for the outstanding amount, which upon presentation to his partner in China, were found to be fake.

 In the course of investigation, the suspect admitted receiving the said sum but added that he diverted part of the money for his personal use and that the telex copies of ABA Bank of Cambodia, were forged. “I became short of finance for business and used Mr. Ezeugwu’s money (the petitioner) to start settling other people’s money that was hanging. I used it to settle other customers that I was owing because my business was experiencing a financial setback. I also sent some telex copies to Mr. Ezeugwu through WhatsApp and the telex copies I forwarded to him were not the real ones”, he said.

It was further revealed in the course of investigation that the suspect is not a BDC operator. After admitting to the crime, the suspect successfully sent back the sum of N50, 000, 000. 00 (Fifty Million Naira) to Chinedu, leaving the balance of N83, 295, 000 (Eighty-three Million, Two Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand Naira) unpaid.

 Agu, in his own petition, alleged  that sometime in 2024, Callistus approached him for financial assistance to execute a transaction as his money were in dollars, domiciled abroad, promising to pay back the money. “A total of N212, 000, 000 00 (Two Hundred and Twelve Million Naira) was transferred to Callistus’ account and every attempt made for  him  to return same back as agreed, has become futile as all the invoices and telex copies he raised were fake”,  he said.

In the course of investigation, the suspect remitted the sum of N167, 614, 800. 00 (One Hundred and Sixty-seven Million, Six Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) to Agu, leaving the sum of N44, 385, 200. 00 (Forty-four Million Naira) unpaid.

The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.