Police nab 9, get well $15,900 in cryptocurrency, others

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has arrested 9 suspects in three separate operations concentrating on alleged on-line funding fraud, romance scams, id theft, sextortion and cash laundering.

The Director of the NPF-NCCC, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Akaninyene Ezima, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja, noting that the operations had been performed in Delta and Lagos states, following intelligence sharing with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA); including that cryptocurrency property value $15,900 had been recovered in one of many operations.

AIG Ezima disclosed that 4 suspects – Ojei Divine, Godwin Umerin, Edema Bright and Peter Kpamichukwu Okoh, had been arrested in Agbor and Okpanam, Delta state, over alleged on-line fraud concentrating on victims within the US, UK, Canada, Australia and different international locations.

He stated investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly used pretend social media identities, fraudulent funding web sites and cryptocurrency transactions to defraud victims.

The company boss stated one of many suspects, Divine, allegedly impersonated funding merchants and directed victims to web sites providing purported international alternate, cryptocurrency and oil and gasoline funding alternatives.

The senior Police officer stated evaluation of a cryptocurrency pockets linked to the suspect recognized 21 authorized transactions totalling $21,150. Cryptocurrency property value $15,900 had been recovered and secured in a custodial pockets.

Umerin allegedly used a number of Facebook accounts in a scheme that defrauded an Indonesian citizen of seven million rupiah.

In the identical vein, Bright, a Delta State University pupil, was accused of sextortion and cryptocurrency fraud as investigators alleged that he impersonated Galaxy Digital Chief Executive Officer, Michael Novogratz, to steer victims to spend money on Bitcoin.

Also, Okoh, a 27-year-old web site developer, allegedly admitted creating six web sites utilized by scammers to perpetrate fraud.

Exhibits recovered from the suspect embrace 36 cellular gadgets, three routers and different reveals.

In a separate investigation involving the RCMP and Germany’s BKA, police arrested Uka Chidiebere Gerald, 32, and Kenneth Ufuophu, 30, in Delta state over alleged romance fraud and cash laundering community concentrating on aged Canadians between 2020 and 2024.

According to Ezima, members of the suspected community allegedly created pretend on-line identities, established romantic relationships with victims and solicited cash below the guise of investments, loans and monetary help.

One sufferer reportedly transferred greater than CA$200,000 after being deceived by a fraudster impersonating a US navy doctor.

Investigators additionally linked Gerald to a Binance pockets by which 1,684,441 USDT was laundered AIG Ezima disclosed.

Ufuophu was linked to a different case involving CA$214,000 in cryptocurrency and a CA$3,000 wire switch. Police stated the funds had been allegedly moved by suspected cash mules and entities throughout a number of international locations.

He stated 5 victims have been recognized, with the documented losses of two victims alone exceeding CA$417,000; at the same time as two cell phones and two laptops had been recovered, whereas investigations proceed to determine different suspects and hint the funds.

In one other improvement, operatives of the centre arrested Adebayo Adewale Basit, Omoregie Christian and Adebayo Ibrahim, in Lekki, Lagos state, on October 14, over alleged id theft, funding fraud and cash laundering.

Ezima stated the suspects allegedly operated pretend social media accounts to impersonate distinguished personalities and trick victims into transferring cash.

Basit, 23, allegedly used synthetic intelligence voice cloning and deepfake expertise to impersonate Tesla CEO Elon Musk throughout Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, X and different platforms.

The suspects had been additionally linked to an alleged cryptocurrency funding rip-off promoted by an internet site recognized as Bitcoin Trading Hub.

Items recovered from them embrace six cell phones, an iPad, a Microsoft Surface Pro pill, three web routers, a webcam, a PlayStation 5 console and different digital gadgets in addition to jewelry, wristwatches and different gadgets.

The Centre’s boss stated the digital reveals had been present process forensic examination, whereas the three suspects remained in custody.

Ezima stated the circumstances highlighted the rising sophistication of cybercriminals who exploit digital platforms, cryptocurrency and on-line relationships to focus on victims throughout worldwide borders.

He urged Nigerians to keep away from unverified funding platforms promising unrealistic returns and to be cautious of on-line relationships involving repeated monetary calls for or requests for cryptocurrency transfers and present playing cards.

He additionally referred to as on monetary establishments and cryptocurrency service suppliers to strengthen buyer verification and transaction monitoring; simply as he warned youths in opposition to cybercrime, urging them to make use of their digital expertise for legit companies and innovation.