The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested an investor for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust and obtaining by false pretense.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, in Abuja on Wednesday.
It stated that the EFCC arrested one Benjamin Aduli following a petition by one of his victims.
The statement noted that the petitioner reported that the suspect promised to help him facilitate a loan of about 30 million dollars in Dubai, to finance his fleet of farms.
“Having convinced the potential investor of the good deal, he demanded for a contributory fee of 154,146 thousand dollars, which he claimed would be remitted to ABA investment LLC in Dubai as a condition for accessing the loan.’’
Uwujaren said that not sensing any foul play, the petitioner paid the said sum to a Micro Finance Bank on the instruction of Aduli, for onward remittance as agreed.
He, however, said that since the payment was made, no loan was provided for the petitioner, while the money was not refunded.
The spokesperson said that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
In another development, the EFCC, in the statement said it is intensifying investigations into the shady activities of a serial fraudster, Adeolu Adeyanju.
The fraudster, he said that in spite of being behind bars, is still defrauding unsuspecting individuals.
The commission said that his fraudulent activities out of the prison yard came to the fore after a complainant petitioned the EFCC that Adeyanju conned him into paying him N9 million.
The petitioner, the EFCC spokesperson said, is a friend to a director at the Petroleum Products and Marketing Company, PPMC, Abuja.
“His modus operandi is to clone the telephone number of the director, using same to instruct the petitioner to make payment.’’
He said that the complainant in his petition reported to the EFCC that the suspect asked him to make payment for 50 trucks of petroleum products to Detwinx Global Services Limited, which he did.
The commission said that on the receipt of the money, Adeyanju found a way to get N7.4 million transferred to a bureau de change operator.
EFCC said that the operator later converted the money to its dollar equivalent, while keeping N1.5 million in his personal account.
The commission said that the suspect is said to have several aliases with which he uses to defraud people.
It added that at the moment, Adeyanju also has cases pending before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), the Department of State Services, (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force.
The commission said that the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigations are concluded. (NAN)
FHO/KOLE/MST