The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Port Harcourt Zonal Office, has arraigned Onwuzuruike Kingsley Ikenna also known as Nwanta Anayoeze Yonaracha over alleged internet fraud.
Ikenna was arraigned before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
The popular Port Harcourt big boy who is also known as Jeff Sikora paraded himself as the President/CEO of United States-based Prime Trust Credit Union Bank.
He was arraigned on an eight count charge bordering on conspiracy, impersonation, forgery, possession of proceeds and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of Eight Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand Dollars ($8,502,000.00).
According to the EFCC, the offence contravenes Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
One of the eight counts read: “That you, Onwuzuruike Ikenna Kingsley (aka Jeff Sikora), on or about December 28, 2019, in Umuahia, Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of $6, 500,000.00 through web transfer from one Mr. Selah Elnagar Ali Ahmed, a citizen of Egypt, with the pretence that he is a beneficiary of inheritance funds in a fixed deposit account of Prime Trust Financial Bank in United States, a pretext you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The defendant however pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
Kingsley was arrested by the EFCC, following intelligence received by the commission on his alleged fraudulent activities.
He was arrested on January 26, 2020, by operatives of the EFCC at his residence in Uzuakoli Road, Umuahia, capital of Abia State.
He is allegedly specialized in Business Email Compromise (BEC) and identity fraud.
It was reported that his victims include a major United States bank.
Properties connected to the suspect include a mansion, a petrol station and 9 units of three bedroom apartments, all in Umuahia, Abia State’s capital.
He is also said to have a palatial bungalow in his village.
