The inmate, Mr Ifeanyi Ezenwa, described by police as a leader of a fraud syndicate, specialises in using fake bank alerts to defraud his victims millions of naira right from the prison.
Ezenwa, who is currently in Kuje Maximum Prison, Abuja, coordinates his operations from there. He used to pose as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company in the United Kingdom, as a king and chief as well as an American doctor. A police source said: “IRT operatives went to prison and confirmed that he is there.
The operatives have gone to court for a warrant to move him out from prison, in order to interrogate him.” Speaking on how the inmate generates the fake bank alerts, the police source said: “Nobody knows. He’s the only that knows and can tell us. We need to know if some bankers are working with him. He used to pose as a chief and king on social media.”
The police also said that Ezenwa had masterminded many frauds, leading to the financial ruin of many businessmen and women. It was also gathered that Ezenwa had 17 different fraud cases pending in different courts.
Until IRT operatives recently smashed the syndicate, his wife didn’t know he was in prison. When police stormed his home in Abuja to impound stolen cars, the woman told them that there must have been a mistake somewhere. She told the IRT men that her husband was in Italy and even used to send money to her.
She also told them that he used to call her often with an international number. The police said: “Ezenwa collected 15 brand new cars from a popular company that sells cars. This particular company is among the biggest car dealers in Nigeria.
He also collected five new cars from another dealer in Abuja. Once he collects such cars, he will send fake bank alerts. He was charged to court some years back and got bailed. He later jumped bail.
A bench warrant was issued and the court had been looking for him since.” Saturday Telegraph gathered that while the court was looking for him, he went to commit another crime and was arrested. He was taken to the same court where he jumped bail. He was remanded in prison. Now, he has committed another crime from inside prison.
The police explained: “One of his brothers, Emma, is the person that used to go and pick whatever Ezenwa had bought via internet. He also used to assist Ezenwa to check out what items to buy. Emma will go to prison to tell him about the items, Ezenwa will generate the bank alerts.
“This time around, they went and bought car spare parts worth N1.6m. They used the fake alert to dupe the dealer. Again, Ezenwa sent a mechanic to buy another spare part and IRT team was alerted. The mechanic was arrested.
The mechanic took IRT team to Ezenwa’s house where some cars were recovered. He used to send money to his wife from prison; his sister and brothers knew he was in prison, but his wife didn’t. We got his pictures from his wife and took them to police station. Some policemen who saw his pictures screamed that he was a well-known fraudster, who is currently in prison.”
The smashing of Ezenwa’s syndicate started after IRT got wind of his criminal activities following a series of petitions. The IRT team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abba Kyari, was instructed by Idris to go after Ezenwa and put an end to his activities. Some of his victims lost expensive cars, including Mercedes G Wagon,Hummer and Toyota Highlander.
Investigations led operatives of IRT to Ezenwa’s house in Abuja, where a G Wagon, Hummer Jeep, Honda Odyssey and a Honda End of Discussion (Honda Accord 2005) were discovered.
A police source said: “Members of the syndicate have defrauded several victims in different states, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja and dispossessed them of expensive vehicles and goods worth millions of naira.
Members of the syndicate usually approached traders, pretending that they wanted to buy goods. After negotiations, they would ask victims to forward their account details, for them to transfer the money. Once the fraudsters receive the account number, they would tell the victims that they had credited their accounts.
The customers would receive a bank alert, indicating that the accounts had truly been credited. However, when the customers go to the bank to confirm, the money wouldn’t be there.”
The police source continued: “These fraudsters carry out these fraudulent activities mostly on Friday evenings. They know banks don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays.
There would have been interval of two days before a customer goes to check his bank balance. By the time the discovery is made, the customer had already handed the goods over to them.” The police further revealed: “Ezenwa, who is the leader of the gang is in prison and uses a smart phone. The phone is connected to the internet and browses through online retail site like OLX, JIJI and Jumia, where he connects with people who want to sell their valuables, especially cars. “He communicates with them via WhatsApp.
When he is buying vehicles, which are usually very expensive ones, he would ensure that he deals directly with the real owners. He would send members of his syndicate to verify the condition of the car. When he is sure of what he wants, he would swindle the dealer, using fake bank alerts.
His members would disappear with the car.” A victim, Mohammed Saleke, a car dealer in Abuja, said that Ezenwa swindled him of a Mercedes G Wagon. The car was placed for sale at his mart. Saleke said: “On the day he defrauded me, he made away with my vehicle.
It was worth N7million. He sent a man to my car stand; the man priced the car and took copious pictures which were sent to Ezenwa. My sales boy, Obinna, was the person that handled the transaction. When they agreed to our price, they took my account number.
They insisted on transferring the money to my Diamond Bank account number. I gave it to them. “An hour later, I received an alert. I called them to come and collect the car.
This was on a Friday; on Monday, when I went to the bank to check my account, I discovered the money was not there. On that fateful Friday that I received the alert, it had my previous balance in it.
The total money was balanced. I wondered how he was able to get access to my account. This incident happened in November 2016. I have been looking for the car since then. Earlier in the year, members of his syndicate also attempted to defraud another person and were arrested.
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