Nigerian Fraudster Sentenced After Swindling U.S. NGO, Convicted Man Ordered To Refund Over $42,000 Funds

 

A dramatic conviction has shaken Abuja as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court delivered judgment against Dennis Tamarakuro, a Nigerian man who duped a U.S.-based non-governmental organisation of more than seventy-one thousand dollars. The ruling followed his guilty plea to a cybercrime charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The fraud case began after the Pregnancy Support Network, an American organisation dedicated to women’s health, reported a substantial financial loss that later traced back to Nigeria. According to EFCC investigators, Tamarakuro impersonated a U.S. private investor identified as “Keisha Reynolds” in December 2024. Under this fabricated identity, he tricked a victim named Philbert into sending $71,795.41 through the cryptocurrency platform Bybit.

Court filings revealed that his fraudulent activity violated Section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime Act 2015, as amended in 2024, an offence punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv). Tamarakuro’s involvement was confirmed when intelligence was shared with the EFCC from the Jackson Township Police Department in the United States. This collaboration exposed how charity funds belonging to the NGO had been diverted through a romance scam that evolved into a money mule scheme.

EFCC investigator, Ogunjobi Olalekan, testified that the money did not reach Tamarakuro directly at first. Instead, it passed through several hands, including a suspect identified as Libson Junior, before being transformed into cryptocurrency and eventually reaching the convict’s Bybit wallet. Records further showed that Tamarakuro received 0.27 Bitcoin on two separate occasions from Libson, part of which he withdrew through Busha exchange. He successfully cashed out $18,000 worth of cryptocurrency before EFCC operatives closed in.

Upon arrest, Tamarakuro did not resist. Investigators confirmed that he admitted the allegations in the presence of his legal representative, making a voluntary statement under caution. During trial, several exhibits were presented, including his signed confessions and correspondences with cryptocurrency exchanges, which firmly established the fraudulent scheme.

Recoveries were made from his digital assets. EFCC disclosed that $22,157.40 was traced and seized from his Bybit account, while another $20,121.41 was intercepted from Busha exchange. Altogether, the agency secured over $42,000, while the remaining balance was frozen by a U.S. financial institution. Justice Nwite subsequently ordered the recovered sums to be forfeited to the defrauded NGO, ensuring partial restitution to the victim.

The court also imposed a sentence of one year imprisonment on Tamarakuro with the option of paying a fine of one million naira. Additionally, the convict was directed to swear an affidavit of good conduct, a formal step requiring him to pledge better behavior in the future.

During sentencing, defence counsel Laye Aeemokoya pleaded for mercy. He argued that his client was a first-time offender, a father with young children, and the sole caregiver to his elderly mother. Despite this emotional plea, the court insisted that deterrence remained crucial in a period where financial scams continue to tarnish Nigeria’s global image.

The EFCC has stepped up efforts to clamp down on cybercrime and Ponzi-style financial scams across the country. The conviction of Tamarakuro adds to a growing list of high-profile cases in recent months. Not long ago, EFCC secured the arrest of Ahamba Tochukwu, the Chief Executive Officer of Gavice Logistics Limited, over allegations that he orchestrated a fraudulent investment scheme that lured more than 400 unsuspecting Nigerians, resulting in losses exceeding two billion naira.

Further, the Commission arraigned Precious Williams, a director at Glossolalia Nigeria Ltd and Pelegend Nigeria Ltd, over his alleged ties to a massive N13.8 billion Ponzi operation linked to Maxwell Chizi Odum, the mastermind of MBA Trading and Capital Investment Ltd, who remains on the run. These developments illustrate EFCC’s renewed drive to prosecute individuals whose actions threaten economic stability and destroy public trust.

Public reaction to Tamarakuro’s conviction has been mixed. Some sympathisers expressed concern over the relatively short prison term, pointing to the magnitude of the stolen funds and the reputational harm caused internationally. Others applauded the court’s decision to recover a significant portion of the stolen money and ensure restitution to the rightful owners.

The case serves as a stern reminder of the consequences of cyber fraud and highlights the increasing collaboration between Nigerian authorities and international agencies in tackling cross-border crimes. It also underlines the risks charities face in a digital era where criminals exploit both technology and human vulnerability.

Ultimately, Justice Nwite’s ruling not only punished Tamarakuro but also sent a clear signal that fraudulent schemes targeting foreign or domestic victims will attract consequences. For the EFCC, this case is one of many stepping stones in its ongoing mission to cleanse Nigeria’s financial space of criminal activity.