The Nigerian man, Francis Nduka, was convicted on Monday, January 23, 2023, by an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos State, pulse.ng reports.
He is a former student of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi in the country’s Edo State.
He was arrested and prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for engaging in internet fraud and defrauding his victims of $3,700.
Nduka confessed to the law enforcement authorities that he had been in a romance scam since 2020, and then pleaded guilty to the charges proffered against him.
He was also accused of procuring a register of eminent lawyers printed from his Gmail account.
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Justice Ramon Oshodi who presided over the court sentenced Nduka on his own plea and ordered that he be taken to the maximum custody.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court, EFCC counsel, Orhieoghene Adewunmi said: “Sometime in April 2022, we received an intelligence report that some individuals were carrying out fraudulent activities in the Iju Ishaga area of Lagos State.
“EFCC operatives arrested him and recovered a black iPhone 11 Plus, a grey Lenovo laptop, and a Silver Lexus 350 Saloon car, with number plate, SMK 297GW, 2011 model.
“We found in the defendant’s gadgets that he had been pretending to be an American lawyer named Richard Ratz and also acted as Holland Diana, a Yoga therapist, and collected $3,700 from people.
“He admitted to the offence when he was arrested and also wrote a confession statement.
“As restitution for the money, the defendant has agreed to forfeit the car, laptop, and iPhone 11 to the Federal Government.”
The convict’s plea for mercy, vowing to desist from fraud did not save him from going to jail.