Four internet fraudsters have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for offences bordering on impersonation, internet fraud, and obtaining money under false pretence.
The convicts—Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo, Timi Olamide Samuel, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, and Emmanuel Linus—were arraigned before Justices P. I. Ajoku, P. I. Ayua, and S. I. Mark on separate charges filed by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the EFCC, the defendants posed online as foreigners and deceitfully entered into fake romantic relationships to defraud their victims, most of whom were foreigners. One of the charges revealed that Chinweobo, under the alias Philip James, claimed to be a U.S. soldier stationed in Syria and defrauded an American woman of £1,000. Similarly, Ugochukwu impersonated a U.S. citizen, Amanda Pappers, and swindled $800 from another victim.
All four defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges. The prosecution, led by counsels A. Chukwuegwu and G. C. Ngborokwu, tendered various incriminating documents, while defence lawyers pleaded for leniency, citing the defendants’ status as first-time offenders.
Justice Ajoku sentenced Chinweobo and Linus to 30 months’ imprisonment each, with an option of a ₦200,000 fine. Their sentences are to run concurrently from the date of arrest. Justice Ayua handed Ugochukwu a one-year jail term or a ₦50,000 fine, while Justice Mark sentenced Samuel to two years’ imprisonment or a ₦900,000 fine.
In addition, the convicts were ordered to swear affidavits of good behaviour and forfeit all items recovered from them, including multiple mobile devices and a Lexus ES 350 vehicle, to the Federal Government.
Their arrest followed intelligence received by the EFCC in April 2025, which led to their apprehension and prosecution for cyber-related crimes.
