- The charges ranged from creating and operating fake social media and email accounts to impersonating foreign nationals and attempting to cheat unsuspecting individuals
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 18 internet fraudsters in separate court proceedings held in Bauchi and Yola.
The convicts were arraigned on separate one-count charges of fraudulent impersonation between November and December 2024 by the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Directorate.
The charges ranged from creating and operating fake social media and email accounts to impersonating foreign nationals and attempting to cheat unsuspecting individuals.
All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, and the courts handed down various jail terms and fines.
In one of the cases, Justice Ahmed Isa of the Adamawa State High Court in Yola sentenced Yasar Usman Hamman to 10 years’ imprisonment with an option of a N200,000 fine for attempting to cheat foreign nationals through a cryptocurrency platform.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to combating cybercrime and bringing perpetrators to justice.