Nigerian man jailed for $1,900 love scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday secured the conviction of a man, Idunwoyi Osaigbovo, for engaging in a fraudulent money-for-love affair with two foreign women.

Osaigbovo was convicted by Justice D. Senchi of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Jabi, on a two-count charge bordering on love scam. He was alleged to have fraudulently obtained money from two Caucasian women, Ms. Helen and Kathy Jackson by posing online as William Robert, a Caucasian engineer.

He pretended to be in a love relationship with both women, which made them trust him. He obtained the total sum of $1,900 in Bitcoins.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Idunwoyi Bright Osaigbovo, sometimes in 2018 in Abuja within the judicial division of the court represented that you were William Robert, a male Caucasian engineer with email: willirobbi56@gmail.com and obtained the sum of $700 from one Helen on two occasions and from one Kathy Jackson in Bitcoin in the guise of being in a romantic relationship with her and hereby committed an offence under Section 322 of the Penal Code.”

He pleaded guilty to the charges. In view of his plea, Justice Senchi convicted him and sentenced him to one month in prison with an option of fine of N25,000 as a first time offender. He further ordered that the proceed of the crime should be forfeited to the Federal Government for onward refund to the victims.