Court Jails Fake Investor Over $71,000 US NGO Fraud
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced one Dennis Tamarakuro, alias Keisha Reynolds, to one year in prison for defrauding a US-based NGO of $71,795.41 through a cyber scam.
Justice Emeka Nwite handed down the sentence on Thursday after Tamarakuro pleaded guilty to a one-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
Investigations revealed that Tamarakuro posed as a US private investor to swindle funds from the Pregnancy Support Network, an NGO in the United States.
The stolen funds, traced through intermediaries and cryptocurrency platforms including Bybit and Busha, were largely recovered over $42,000 returned by EFCC and the balance frozen by a US bank.
Despite a plea for leniency from his lawyer, Justice Nwite ordered that the recovered money be forfeited to the victim and directed Tamarakuro to swear an affidavit of good conduct.
He also gave the convict an option of a ₦1 million fine in place of jail.
