Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC Spokesperson
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibadan, has arrested Egbedayo Semilore and Elijah Jeremiah alias Jerry, a self-styled fashion director of Datsol Industries Limited for alleged internet fraud.
According to a statement from the commission, while Semilore, 26, engages in internet love and romance scams, Jeremiah, 29, surfs the internet for online purchases through auction sites.
”Semilore poses on the internet with 2 American army officers’ identities by the names Sergeant Shaft Pagan and Perrie Edingson who are allegedly serving in Afghanistan.
He engages unsuspecting ladies on the internet in a dating and romance scam through which he fleeces them of their money. The last victim being one P. J. (full names withheld) from the United States from whom he claimed to have obtained about four million naira (N4m) in tranches with which he bought himself a car.
Jeremiah of No. 3 Adeniyi Avenue, old Bodija, Ibadan, according to series of intelligence gathered by the Commission, allegedly lives an ostentatious life without a definite job, always indoor surfing the internet.
Though arrested differently, they have both made confessional statements.
Jeremiah confessed to have been involved in internet surfing for auction sites through which he makes online purchases of items from China.
According to him, he downloads Letter of Credit purportedly issued by Scotia Online Financial Services of Scotia bank worldwide from Google and edits it to suit his transactions with which he pays for the purchases.
The auctioneers, unaware of his antics however often fall victim of his game by shipping the goods to him ahead of confirmation of payment.
Semilore, during interrogation also confessed to have engaged in the romance scam over time from which he sustained his flamboyant lifestyle and bought himself the 2010 Lexus car which he registered in his mother’s name.
When contacted, the mother told the operatives that she is aware of her son’s nefarious activities on the internet adding, “I know he always press the laptop”.
Operatives have recovered several items from them including one laptop, three modems, one iphone, two Nokia phones, international Passport, forged Union Bank Statement of Account with NUBAN number:10141411389 for Datsol Industries Limited and an envelope containing several documents were recovered from Jeremiah.
Specifically recovered from Semilore were: three identity cards bearing different names and biodata, a 2010 Black Toyota Lexus car with registration number (Lagos) SMK 475 EH, two laptops and one Blackberry Passport phones. Several love scam mails were also found and downloaded from his laptops.
They will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.”
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