A Nigerian by name Collins Samuel, who allegedly scammed the American State of Virginia of the sum of $8000 under the guise that he was an American citizen, has been remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the orders of a Kaduna Federal High Court presided over by Justice P. Mallong
Samuel, who was eventually arrested in Jos, the Plateau State capital, had fraudulently presented himself as one Ashley Cooper in order to qualify and receive the $8000 offered to citizens of Virginia State under its Pandemic Unemployment Assistance when indeed he has no connection whatsoever with the United States of America.
Samuel was remanded, after pleading ‘not guilty’ to a one-count charge that borders on impersonation and obtaining by false pretences, brought against him by the Kaduna Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The anti-graft agency said in a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, that its investigation revealed that Collins redeemed the $8,000 benefit through bitcoin wallet addresses he got from various cryptocurrency traders.
The charge reads, “That you Collins Samuel sometime in February, 2021 in Jos, Plateau State, within jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit; impersonation when you fraudulently held yourself as one Ashley Cooper, a citizen of the United States of America and through that identity you applied and received a total sum of $8,000 from the State of Virginia as ” Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ) with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (1) & (ii) of the Cyber Crime ( Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015”.
