Four Internet Fraudsters Sentenced to Prison in Port Harcourt

On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, Justices P. I. Ajoku, P. I. Ayua, and S. I. Mark of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, convicted and sentenced four individuals—Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo, Timi Olamide Samuel, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, and Emmanuel Linus—for various counts of fraud. The offenders were prosecuted by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on distinct charges, including impersonation, advance fee fraud, and obtaining money under false pretenses.

The charges against Chinweobo allege that he fraudulently obtained £1,000 from an American woman named Marinela Gabriela in 2024, by impersonating a military man named Philip James, claiming to be serving in Syria and in a romantic relationship with her, despite knowing this to be untrue.

This act was deemed a violation of Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006, punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same law. Ugochukwu was charged with defrauding a victim named Grey of $800 on or around May 14, 2025, by pretending to be Amanda Pappers, a U.S. citizen, a deception he knowingly perpetuated, violating Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Act. All four defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. Following their pleas, prosecution attorneys A. Chukwuegwu and G. C Ngborokwu presented evidence against them, requesting judicial convictions and sentences, while G. N. Chukwu, Yemi Ogunleye, A. O. Secondus, and Chigozie Umunnakwem urged the court to show mercy given that the defendants were first-time offenders. Justice Ajoku sentenced Chinweobo and Linus to 30 months each at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre or, alternatively, to pay a fine of N200,000 each, with their sentences to run concurrently starting from their arrest date. Justice Ayua sentenced Ugochukwu to one year in prison or a fine of N50,000, while Justice Mark sentenced Samuel to two years or a fine of N900,000. Additionally, the convicts agreed to an affidavit of good behavior and surrendered a range of items, including a Techno mobile phone, Samsung Galaxy phone, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone X, iPhone 16 Pro, an iPad, and a Lexus ES 350, all of which were confiscated at the time of their arrest, to the federal government.

The series of events leading to their incarceration began with their arrest by the EFCC in April 2025, prompted by credible intelligence that uncovered their fraudulent activities online in Port Harcourt.