The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Dennis Tamarakuro, also known as Keisha Reynolds, for defrauding a U.S.-based non-governmental organisation, Pregnancy Support Network of $71,795.41.
The conviction was delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, following Tamarakuro’s guilty plea to a one-count charge of cybercrime.
The charge against him stated:
“That you, DENNIS TAMARAKURO (a.k.a Keisha Reynolds) sometime in December 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, falsely represented yourself as Keisha Reynolds, a female private investor in the United States of America, and in that assumed character obtained the sum of $71,795.41 (Seventy-One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Five Dollars, Forty-One Cents) from one Philbert, through Bybit, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 as Amended in 2024 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”
He pleaded guilty when the charge was read.
Prosecution counsel, Maryam Aminu Ahmed, called EFCC investigator, Ogunjobi Olalekan, to present the facts of the case.
Olalekan told the court that intelligence from the Jackson Township Police Department in the U.S. revealed that the NGO, Pregnancy Support Network, was defrauded after its bank details were compromised and its funds diverted through a romance scam turned money mule scheme.
He explained that the stolen funds were moved through intermediaries, including a suspect named Libson Junior, before being converted into cryptocurrency and traced to a wallet owned by Tamarakuro on Bybit exchange.
“Upon arrest, the allegation was brought to his attention in the presence of his lawyer. He was interviewed under video recording, cautioned and he made a voluntary statement,” said Olalekan
The EFCC investigator confirmed that Tamarakuro received 0.27 Bitcoin twice from Libson Junior and later withdrew $18,000 worth of cryptocurrency through Busha exchange.
Both Bybit and Busha confirmed the accounts belonged to the convict.
The EFCC recovered $22,157.40 from Bybit and $20,121.41 from Busha, totalling more than $42,000, while the balance of the funds was blocked by a U.S. bank.
Documents, including Tamarakuro’s voluntary statement and correspondences with the exchanges, were admitted as exhibits.
Defence counsel, Laye Aeemokoya, pleaded with the court for mercy, citing Tamarakuro’s status as a first-time offender, a father, and caregiver to his aged mother. He added that all proceeds of the crime had been recovered.
In his judgment, Justice Nwite sentenced Tamarakuro to one year imprisonment with an option of a N1 million fine payable to the Federal Government.
The judge also ordered that the recovered funds be forfeited to the victim and directed the convict to depose to an affidavit of good conduct.
The judge also ordered that the recovered funds be forfeited to the victim and directed the convict to depose to an affidavit of good conduct.
The EFCC has in recent months intensified its crackdown on fraudulent activities. One of the high-profile arrests was that of Ahamba Tochukwu, Chief Executive Officer of Gavice Logistics Limited, who is accused of running a Ponzi-style logistics investment scheme that allegedly defrauded over 400 investors of more than N2 billion.
EFCC’s Port Harcourt arm arraigned Precious Williams, a director at Glossolalia Nigeria Ltd and Pelegend Nigeria Ltd, over a staggering N13.8 billion Ponzi scheme fraud. According to the EFCC, Williams allegedly received funds traced to Maxwell Chizi Odum, the founder of MBA Trading and Capital Investment Ltd who remains at large, along with proceeds from over 3,000 unsuspecting investors promised monthly returns of 10 to 15 percent.