An FCT High Court in Kuje has jailed an impersonator of actor Frederick Leonard for love scam.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction of the impostor Aiosa Orhue.
Mr Orhue was arraigned on Wednesday on a three-count charge bordering on love scam.
Aisosa impersonated the actor by using his identity to defraud Cheryldene Cook of N104 million as well as $26,020.
“That you, Aiosa Kelvin Orhue (aka Fredrick Leonard) sometime in 2021, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, by false pretense and with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N104 million only from one Cheryldene Cook, that you are one Frederick Leonard who is in love with her and you made her to believe that you are going to marry her which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1 (1) (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively,” the charges reads.
“Orhue (aka Fredrick Leonard), still claiming to be in love with Cherydene Cook and using the Instagram handle @burgerde defrauded her of the sum of $26,020, an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 321 and 322 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation (Abuja) 1990 respectively.”
The impostor had pleaded not guilty.
The judge consequently convicted and sentenced the defendant to one-year imprisonment with an option of a fine of N1,000,000.
He is also to forfeit a three-bedroom semi-detached duplex located in Edo state, a Lexus E350 saloon car, the sum of N19,000,000, all furniture in above mentioned house, the sum of $1,858.67, the sum of $1,000, iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung A31.
Aisosa’s conviction comes less than three years after Ezekiel Sunday Emmanuel was arrested by the EFCC for impersonating Leonard to defraud Collins Meresha, an American, to the tune of $7,000.
Reacting to the conviction on Thursday, Fredrick wondered on Instagram how some women allow themselves to be defrauded by people with unverified accounts on social media.
“The desperate women who indulge these impostors on unverified accounts (No Blue Tick) then get scammed, run to my main account to rant sh*t will turn a blind bye to this post,” he wrote.
“These desperate ladies must have a lot of money to waste in this harsh global economy.
“You transfer a huge amount of money to someone you have never met physically and you say your brain is working right.
“As for the Nigerian youths who are impostors, more will be caught. we are on it!”
