The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into a 38-year-old man, Raheem Abiodun Wasiu, over an alleged $12,000 fraud targeting Bureau de Change (BDC) operators in the South-East.
The anti-graft agency stated on Monday that Wasiu was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following a complaint by Ezekulie Stanley Chukwumuanya, a BDC operator who alleged that the suspect defrauded him of $5,000.
EFCC investigations reportedly revealed that Wasiu allegedly rented Toyota Hilux trucks, posed as a wealthy contractor, moved with escorts and targeted BDC operators, allegedly collecting dollars from them before presenting fake naira transfer alerts.
Chukwumuanya told investigators that after collecting the $5,000, Wasiu requested his bank details and claimed the naira transfer had been completed. However, the expected alert did not arrive and the suspect subsequently became unreachable.
Another petitioner, Chief Nwaoha Ubaferem of Owerri, Imo State, alleged that Wasiu defrauded him of $7,000 using a similar method.
According to the EFCC, further investigations indicated that the suspect had allegedly operated the same scheme in several parts of the South-East and Akwa Ibom State.
Items recovered from him include a Toyota Hilux, several bank ATM cards and transfer tokens, a digital National Identification Number slip bearing the name Sunday Abiodun, complimentary cards identifying him as Engineer Abiodun, two mobile phones, a pocket Wi-Fi device, a designer bag, a luxury wristwatch, vehicle documents, a gold bangle and shoes.
The EFCC said Wasiu would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
