Collins Samuel, an alleged fraudster, who obtained $8000USD as COVID-19 benefit from the U.S state of Virginia, has been convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice P. Mallong of the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State.
Another fraudster, Okoh Kingsley Chukwuemeka, also bagged two years in prison for fraud.
In a statement signed by the Media and Publicity Officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Wilson Uwujaren, and made available to Roots Tv, Samuel had upon arraignment by the EFCC Zonal Office in Kaduna on March 11, 2021 pleaded ‘not guilty’ to a one count charge that borders on impersonation and obtaining by false pretenses.
He was arrested in Jos, Plateau State, where he fraudulently represented himself as Ashley Cooper, an American citizen affected by COVID-19, and obtained $8,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) from Virginia, United States.
Investigation revealed that Collins redeemed the $8,000 benefit through bitcoin wallet addresses he got from various cryptocurrency traders.
The charge reads, “That you Collins Samuel sometime in February, 2021 in Jos, Plateau State, within jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did commit an offence to wit; impersonation when you fraudulently held yourself as one Ashley Cooper, a citizen of the United States of America and through that identity you applied and received a total sum of $8,000 (United State Dollars) from the State of Virginia as ” Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ) with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (1) & (ii) of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015”.
Justice Mallong adjourned the case till March 22, for determination of bail application and trial.
But when the matter was mentioned on Monday, the defendant pleaded guilty to an amended charge, prompting the prosecuting counsel, P. C Onyeneho to ask the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Mallong consequently convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment with an option of Five Hundred Thousand Naira fine.
The convict is also to forfeit the following items: one Toyota Camry 2010 model car, an HP Elite book 840 Laptop and iPad Model A 1396.
The convict is to pay the sum of $8,000 USD which is equivalent to N3,296,696.48 found in his Access Bank Account as restitution to the victim (The State of Virginia) through the United States Embassy, Abuja.
