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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has convicted and sentenced one Tamarakuro to one year imprisonment for his role in a romance scam and money laundering scheme that defrauded a U.S.-based non-governmental organisation, Pregnancy Support Network, of $71,795.41.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Tamarakuro on one count of cybercrime, contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
Prosecution counsel Maryam Aminu Ahmed called EFCC investigator Ogunjobi Olalekan, who informed the court that intelligence from the Jackson Township Police Department in the United States revealed how the NGO’s bank details were compromised through a romance scam turned money mule scheme. The stolen funds were laundered through intermediaries, including a suspect named Libson Junior, before being converted to cryptocurrency and transferred to a Bitcoin address on the Bybit exchange, which was later traced to Tamarakuro. He received 0.27 Bitcoin twice from Libson Junior and withdrew $18,000 worth of cryptocurrency via the Busha exchange.
Further investigations, including responses from Bybit and Busha, confirmed that the accounts belonged to Tamarakuro. Upon his arrest, he admitted to the crime in a voluntary statement recorded in the presence of his lawyer. The EFCC recovered $42,278.81 in cryptocurrency—$22,157.40 from Bybit and $20,121.41 from Busha—while a U.S. bank blocked the remaining stolen funds.
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The prosecution tendered exhibits, including Tamarakuro’s statement and correspondence with the exchanges, and urged the court to order forfeiture of the recovered sums to the victim.
Justice Nwite convicted Tamarakuro, sentenced him to one year in prison with an option of a ₦1 million fine payable to the Federal Government, and ordered the forfeiture of the recovered $42,278.81 to the Pregnancy Support Network. He also directed Tamarakuro to depose an affidavit of good conduct.
Defence counsel Laye Aeemokoya pleaded for leniency, citing Tamarakuro’s status as a first-time offender, a father, and caregiver to an aged mother.
