FBI rewards EFCC operatives over Nigerian fraudsters’ arrest

FBI rewards EFCC operatives over Nigerian fraudsters’ arrest
Uche Iheanacho, Abuja

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued certificates of outstanding performance to some operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The beneficiaries are officers who participated actively in the arrest of Nigerian fraudsters that had been on the wanted persons list of the FBI.

The FBI Legal Attaché to the US Embassy in Nigeria, Kenny Ivy, who presented the certificates on behalf of the agency, said the FBI was impressed with the degree of professionalism shown by the EFCC, particularly in the arrest of a Nigerian fraudster, Raheed Mustapha, who escaped from the United States and took refuge in Nigeria after defrauding an American company of about 800,000 dollars.

He thanked the Commission for its efforts and said the FBI looked forward to a continuous working relationship with the EFCC.

Also present at the event was his assistant, Jennifer Dent who has been in Nigeria for the past two years. Dent has been working on the case with the Commission since she came. She expressed appreciation for the support she received from the Commission.

Conspiracy and fraud

The 35 year old Mustapha was alleged to have conspired with four other persons including his cousin also based in the United States in 2006, to obtain checks totalling 800,000 dollars from the 401(k) Plans (pension scheme) to which they were not entitled.

Once employed by the ACS, a Pension Fund Administrator in the US, Mustapha informed his conspirators how to obtain from the ACS default personal identification numbers “PINS” for the 401(K) Plans Accounts of the 401(K) participants.

He provided them with information as to how to change the mailing addresses associated with those accounts, and how to obtain distribution checks from those accounts. 

The FBI discovered this and placed an arrest warrant on him before he finally fled to Nigeria.  

The FBI however contacted the EFCC which eventually trailed and arrested him on March 12, 2011 in his father's residence in Lekki area of Lagos where he was hiding.

In a remark at the ceremony which took place at the Commission's Lagos Zonal Headquarters, on Tuesday, EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, who was represented by the Head of Operations, Zubairu Muazu expressed appreciation for the commendation by the FBI and assured the American authorities of greater cooperation in the concerted efforts to rid both countries of criminal elements.

Internet collections scam

The suspect and another are both awaiting extradition to the US to face trial.

Three other Nigerian fugitives had earlier been handed over to US law enforcement agents. George Ubeozor was extradited in 2008, while Sunday Adebisi Adegbesan was handed over in 2009 both to the authorities in New York.

The Latest to suffer the same fate, Ehkator was indicted in the US District court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on November 3, 2010 over a 32 million dollars internet collections scam.

The suspect was arrested in Benin City, Edo State in August 2010 by EFCC operatives following top level exchange of information between US Law enforcement agents and the EFCC over the activities of a trans-border ring of internet scammers headed by Ekhator.

The extradition process filed through the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice was eventually approved by a federal high court in Lagos on July 26, 2011.

The suspect was however flown to the US on Wednesday August 10 and handed over to a District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania the following day by an officer of the EFCC.

Williams