Internet Fraudster Jailed, To Return $15,000 To American Victim

Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has convicted and sentenced one Okoro Joseph to eight months imprisonment for impersonation and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of $15,000.

Joseph, a final year student of the Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Enugu was convicted and sentenced following his prosecution by the Enugu Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

One of the five charges against him read, “That you, Okoro Tochukwu Joseph (alias Donald Wood), on the 11th day of March 2020, in Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of  the Federal High Court of Nigeria, while representing yourself to be Donald Wood, a financial investor in crypto currency, by means of a computer system, knowingly sent a message through your Hangout, knowing the same to be false, for the purpose of causing needless anxiety to Lisa Spitler and thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015.”

Upon his arraignment before the judge on Tuesday, the convict pleaded guilty to the charges.

The prosecution counsel, Henry Anasoh, then asked the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

Aside from the prison term, the convict was asked to restitute the sum of $15,000 to his victim, through the EFCC.

Joseph had impersonated Donald Woods and Kennedy Lordan and used pictures of white men to create fraudulent Hangout and Instagram accounts which he used to defraud an American woman, Lisa Spitler of the said sum.