Man in prison for allegedly defrauding Thai $216,000, N30 million

The Lagos State Police Command said it arrested Chimereze Chinedu for allegedly scamming a Thai national of $216,000 and N30 million, respectively.

In a statement posted on X.com on Tuesday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed that the suspect allegedly offered to provide his victim with 37 tricycles worth $216,000.

In an attempt to extort more money from his victim, the suspect allegedly fabricated documents from the State Criminal Investigation Department to trick him into believing that the tricycles had been seized by police.

Hundeyin stated that Chinedu allegedly used the fraudulent documents to extort a further N30 million from the victim, ostensibly to guarantee the release of the seized tricycles.

He said, “Chimereze defrauded his victim under the pretence of selling 37 tricycles to her. He further expanded his fraudulent activity by forging letters of the State Criminal Investigative Department, Lagos showing that the tricycles were seized by the police and further extorted N30m from the victim to purportedly secure the release of the tricycles.”

The PPRO noted that following weeks of investigation and a collaboration with officials of the International Criminal Police Organisation, “the suspect was arrested on May 10, 2024, in Enugu State.”

The police spokeswoman stated that attempts were underway to apprehend other accomplices of the suspect, while emphasizing the command’s commitment to combating cyber fraud.

On Thursday, PUNCH Metro reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission detained 15 suspected Internet fraudsters in Zaria, Kaduna State.

According to a statement made by the anti-graft agency via X.com, the suspects were seized outside Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria as a result of credible intelligence tying a fraud network to suspected involvement in internet fraud.

As a result, EFCC officers acted quickly on the intelligence acquired, leading to the arrest of the suspects near the university.