Love scam: EFCC returns 10 , 000 Euros to French victim

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Northern Operation
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission ( EFCC) yesterday said it had
recovered and returned 10, 000 Euros
( about N 2.25 million) , to F. Mercade, a
French citizen , who was a victim of an
internet love scam.
According to a statement by the
commission’ s Head of Media and Publicity ,
Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the fund was wired
to the victim through his account in France
on the recommendation of the French
Embassy in Nigeria .
The statement said Roger Balima , French
Police Liaison Officer who confirmed the
receipt of the funds by the victim , thanked
the EFCC “for the good job. ”
The EFCC said Mercade was duped by two
Internet fraudsters , Omodara Adedapo
Oluseye and Adesuyi Ayodeji Adedapo after
he was deceived into a phantom
relationship that was supposedly altar -
bound .
The statement said : “The scam was
reported to the commission via a petition
from the French Consulate in Lagos, on
behalf of Mercade.
“The petitioner alleged that he met a
Nigerian beauty by name, ‘ Kate Williams’
on the Internet sometime in 2009 and they
developed a relationship which was to
culminate in marriage . ‘ Williams’ was to
relocate to join Mercade in France, to
consummate the relationship.
“While Mercade planned the logistics of the
relocation, ‘ Williams’ , who purportedly did
some jobs for an unnamed company in
Nigeria , came up with a story that the
company refused to pay ‘ her ’ for job done.
‘ She ’ sought the assistance of Mercade
and the ‘ couple ’ contacted a lawyer named
‘ James Robert’ , to procure travelling
documents and help her claim money from
the company owing her .
“Mercade parted with 25 ,000 .00 Euros ,
through Western Union, in processing his
brides’ passage with no bride in sight .
Eventually, it dawned on him that he had
been scammed .
“Investigations into the matter by the
commission that ‘ Kate Williams’ is the
pseudonym of Omodara Adedapo Oluseye ,
a male student of the College of
Agriculture, Akure , who , however , resides in
Ibadan Oyo State .
“Omodara’ s accomplice , Adesuyi Ayodeji
Adedapo , assisted in collecting the money
transferred by the victim from the Akure ,
Ondo State branch of a new generation
bank, using forged drivers ’ license
The two scammers were prosecuted on a
two count charge of conspiracy and
obtaining money by false pretences before
a Federal High Court Lagos , convicted and
sentenced them on June 13 , 2011 , to one
year imprisonment each without an option
of fine.
Meanwhile , the EFCC has arrested Ann
Igwe , who was the secretary to a former
Chairman of the Pension Reform Task
Team , Abdulrasheed Maina .
Source close to the commission said the
suspect was picked up last week and had
given useful information.
The anti - graft agency is investigating how
the biometric contract to streamline
pension administration became conduit for
stealing of pension fund