Love scam: EFCC returns N19m, duplex, Lexus car to American woman duped by internet fraudster posing as Nollywood actor, Frederick Leonard
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has handed over property recovered from a convicted fraudster, Aisosa Kelvin Ohue, to an American victim, Cheryldene Cook.
The commission in a statement on Friday, September 8, 2023, said the victim was duped by the fraudster who posed as popular Nollywood actor, Frederick Leonard online, after she got romantically involved with him.
“The property which include the sum of N19, 000,000,000 (Nineteen Million Naira), a three-bedroom semi-detached duplex at Ward 36A Amagba Community in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, a Lexus E350 saloon car, an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a Samsung A31 phone were presented to the victim in Abuja on Thursday, September 7, 2023, by the Zonal Commander, ACE I Adebayo Adeniyi and the Head, Advanced Fee Fraud Section 1, ACE II Jimoh Rauf,” the statement read.
“Cheryldene Cook who flew in from the United States of America to receive the items was accompanied to the Commission by her lawyer, Dr. Mike Nwosu. She expressed her appreciation to the Commission for the recovery.
“Justice C.E Nwecheonwu of the Federal Capital Territory High, Kuje had in January ordered the forfeiture of the property after Orhue was convicted of a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense
“The convicted cheated the victim in a love scam while pretending to be Frederick Leonard,”
Count one of the charges read, “that you, Aiosa Kelvin Orhue (AKA Fredrick Leonard) sometime in 2021, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, by false pretense and with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N104,000,000 (One Hundred and Four Million Naira) only from one Cheryldene Cook, that you are one Frederick Leonard who is in love with her and you made her to believe that you are going to marry her which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1 (1)(a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively”.
