From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, arraigned three defendants before Justice K. Dagat of the Federal High Court, Maiduguri.
They are Vincent Markus (a.k.a. Kayluvjaybaby), Ahmed Aliyu Maiizawaka alongside his company, Maizawaka De-Crawler Nigeria Limited, and Enoch Adebayo Richard.
The defendants were arraigned on separate charges bordering on money laundering, impersonation, obtaining money by false pretences, and internet-related offences to an aggregate sum of ₦74,636,943 (Seventy-Four Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Three Naira only).
The charge against Markus read: “That you, Vincent Markus (a.k.a. Kayluvjaybaby) ‘M’ on or about 11th day of July, 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did directly take possession of the aggregate sum of ₦27,636,943.62 (Twenty-Seven Million Six Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty-Three Naira, Two Kobo) into your Kuda Microfinance Bank Limited account with account number 2014444920, Vincent Markus, being the value for cryptocurrency, cash apps, PayPal, and gift cards which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known is proceeds of your fraud or form part of proceeds of your unlawful act to falsely representing yourself to unsuspecting foreign nationals amongst whom are Jayj77 with TikTok account [email protected], Zahra Khan (a.k.a. Reel Gems @screensages), Megan Hoffman @meagan0060, Marisol Bruce, Edwin Amilar Lobo Medina, etc., United States of American citizens through electronic messages on TikTok account, @kayluvjaybbaby
and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
The charge against Maiizawaka read: “That you, Ahmed Aliyu Maiizawaka, being the CEO and alter ego of Maizawaka De-Crawler Nigeria Limited and Maizawaka De-Crawler Nigeria Limited, a company registered in Nigeria sometime in February 2019, at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly convert the aggregate sum of ₦9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira) which you ought to have known forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: obtaining under false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
The charge against Richard read: “That you, Enoch Adebayo Richard, between 2022 and 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did directly take possession of United States of American Dollars denominated cash app and gift coins worth about $40 (Forty United States of American Dollars) from foreign nationals like Victor Adrian Brnard, Stephanie Scotts, Meldda Sana Jane amongst others which upon conversion to naira amounted to an aggregate sum of ₦38,000,000.00 (Thirty-Eight Million Naira) only paid into your Opay Microfinance Bank account number 9015469104, Enoch Adebayo Richard, being the naira equivalent value for the cash app and gift coins which you knew or reasonably ought to have known is proceeds of your fraud or form part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. Thereafter, prosecution counsel Faruku Muhammad prayed for a trial date and the remand of the defendants in a correctional centre.
Justice Dagat thereafter adjourned the case till May 14, 12, and 24, 2025, for the commencement of trial and remanded the defendants in a correctional centre.