A Federal High Court and a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt have convicted and sentenced three Internet fraudsters to a total of 90 months imprisonment for impersonation and obtaining money under false pretences.
The convicts: Rex Akah Kinikachi Kelvin, Kennedy Chinedu Eleyi-Waltar, and Chris Orji were arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count charges.
Rex Akah Kinikachi Kelvin was charged with obtaining $500 from his victim, Denise D. Moore, by impersonating an American fashion model on Telegram.
According to the charge: “That you, Rex Akah Kinikachi Kelvin, sometime in February 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of $500 (Five Hundred United States Dollars) from your victim, Denise D. Moore, through your Telegram account under the guise of being a fashion model from the United States of America, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges during separate court proceedings.Justices P. I. Ajoku and S. D. Pam sentenced each of the convicts to 30 months imprisonment. However, they provided an option of a N200,000 fine for each convict.
In addition to the custodial sentences, the courts ordered the forfeiture of several items recovered from the convicts, including two Samsung mobile devices, other mobile phones, and a Toyota Highlander SUV.
The convicts were also mandated to depose to affidavits of good behaviour. The EFCC revealed that the convicts were apprehended in March 2025 during a sting operation at various locations in Port Harcourt.
