A 19-year-old Nigerian secondary school leaver, Tobechukwu Igbokwe, was yesterday, Wednesday, 16th of March, 2016, sentenced to 37 years imprisonment for defrauding an American the sum of $40 million in an inheritance scam.
The said $40 million was wired through Western Union to Igbokwe and his accomplice, Ifeanyi Obi, from the American, M. Silva, whom the former had deceived into thinking that the money was the “process” fee to facilitate transfer of his supposed inheritance funds into a foreign account for safe-keeping.
Tobechukwu, who confessed to defrauding at least two other foreigners, was arraigned before Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretenses.
He had earlier pleaded not guilty in 2013 to the 12-counts but later changed his plea to guilty.
In addition to his sentence, the defendant was ordered by the court to return the $40 million to the victim and give up his Toyota Corolla car, a proceed from the crime.
