A notorious Internet fraudster, one Dehinbo Oluwatobi Reuben has forfeited N230.6m, $80.59 the sums of N210, 287, 697.45, N5,320,373.40, N15,008,809.79 and $80.59 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Justice Saliu Sai’du of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of the sums belonging to the notorious Internet fraudster on Tuesday.
Justice Sai’du had on May 16, 2019 ordered an interim forfeiture of the various sums of money following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In granting the application, Justice Sai’du had ordered the applicant, the EFCC, to publish the interim forfeiture order in any national newspaper for the respondent, Reuben, or anyone who was interested in the sums of money to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the FG.
In compliance with the order of the court, the EFCC published the interim forfeiture order in a newspaper and subsequently filed a motion on notice dated June 19, 2019.
At today’s proceedings, the judge, upon hearing the applicant’s motion on notice, supporting affidavit and written address, ordered the final forfeiture of the various sums of money found by the Commission in the various accounts of the respondent domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank to the FG.
The respondent, a member of a syndicate of fraudsters who specialize in identity theft, wire fraud and mail fraud, had been arrested following intelligence report received by the EFCC.
Investigation revealed that the syndicate obtained the stolen Personal Identification Information of over 250,000 individuals in the US and used the details to file fraudulent Federal and State tax returns.
It was further revealed that the syndicate obtained monetary value on the fraudulent tax returns, using prepaid cards registered with the stolen information and third party bank accounts.