EXCLUSIVE: EFCC Arrests Suspect Over 200, 000 Dollars Fraud

IG, MOHAMMED ABUBAKAR 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested one Dr Princewell  Chukwueze, over alleged serial scam of more than to $200, 000 USD and recovered fake $15,000 USD from him.

This was contained in a statement signed by its spokesman Mr Wilson Uwujaren, and according to the statement, Chukwueze was arrested in Abuja on Friday by its operatives after more than two months’ frantic manhunt for him.  

"His arrest followed an allegation of fraudulent transactions involving him and a notable Bureau de change operator in Lagos on May 10, 2013. Specifically, Chukwueze fraudulently introduced himself as Aboki J. Brown, a Director of African Development Bank based in Cote D’ Ívoire to the Bureau de change operator at Sura Shopping Complex, Sandgrouse, Lagos," its alleged.

The statement explained that, initially offered to buy $65,000 USD from  the victim but later increased it to $92,000 USD.

"To pay the naira equivalent of the dollars, he requested the operator to meet him at a branch of Wema Bank Plc in Lekki, Lagos.

"When the operator got to the bank with the dollars, Chukwueze fraudulently changed the bank where he intended to offer him the naira equivalent of the foreign currency and pleaded with the operator to accompany him in his siren-blaring Toyota Hilux Pick-Up Van to a nearby branch of Zenith Bank Plc.

"En route to the bank, Chukwueze picked up two armed men on the road who forcefully dispossessed the operator of the $92,000 USD," the statement added.

" Chukwueze was arrested in Abuja while he was employing the same antics to defraud another bureau de change operator of $110,000," it alleged.

The statement added that the suspect was also alleged to have defrauded several bureau de change operators in Lagos and Abuja using different gimmicks. 

"One of his victims, a lady who would not want to be named, said Chukwueze duped her firm of $110,000 USD, " it alleged, adding: "The suspect is also implicated in some other cases being investigated by the EFCC."

The statement said that the commission had recovered some items from him which included 21 different telephone  handsets, complimentary cards of African Development Bank bearing Aboki J. Brown, fake $15,000 different cheque books of different banks.