Kaduna court sentences fake FBI agent to three years in jail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said a High Court sitting in Kaduna, has sentenced a man, Solomon Eke to three years imprisonment for impersonation.

According to EFCC, Justice Darius Khobo, convicted Eke for impersonating an agent of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation by the name, John Smith.

The anti-graft agency, in a post on its official Twitter handle @officialEFCC, on Monday said the convict had operated a Facebook account with the name Kelvin James.

He was arrested at Kurudu Phase 5, Abuja, alongside 24 other suspected internet fraudsters, following an intelligence report.

The statement read in part; “The defendant was arrested by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at Kurudu Phase 5, Abuja, alongside 24 others following intelligence on his alleged internet fraud-related activities.

“Investigation revealed that he operated a Facebook account with the name Kelvin James. Further investigation showed he impersonated an agent of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation by the name, John Smith.”

The charge sheet read; “That you, Solomon Eke (a.k.a Kelvin James) and others now at large, sometimes in July 2022 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this court, committed an offence to wit; falsely presented yourself as Kelvin James; a white man and a Trading Manager to several unsuspecting victims via ‘Facebook’ (a social media application) in a bid to lure them into love scam, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.”

The anti-graft agency added that the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of N150, 000 fine and was to forfeit his iPhone 14 Pro Max phone to the Federal Government.