A Nigerian man identified as Mfon Obot Essien has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for attempting to defraud the family of one Shaliseon Warren.
The man, who also goes by the aliases David Morris and Femi James, reportedly told the parents of the girl that she had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of $7,000 USD. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested Essien and charged him with six count charges of fraud.
The EFCC had received a petition from the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2013 seeking their assistance to investigate a transnational criminal organisation involved in drug smuggling, money laundering and fraud activities. It was revealed during the investigation that Shaliseon had actually been arrested attempting to smuggle cocaine out of Argentina.
Shaliseon had then planned with Essien, who happens to be her boyfriend, to call her parents and inform them that she had been kidnapped and a ransom of $7000 was demanded by the perpetrators before they could release her . The money was reportedly sent to the kidnappers’ associates in Nigeria with the following details “David Morris, 302 Apapa Expressway, Ikeja Lagos”.
However, it was later discovered that David Morris was actually Mfon Essien.
The Homeland Security agents had sought the assistance of Money gram to issue a false funds credit, which led to the arrest of the convict by the EFCC when he went to receive the money. Essien was arrested when he went to pick up the money at an Ikota branch of Access Bank Plc after identifying himself as David Morris.
Upon his arrest, incriminating documents were found in his possession, including a forged Driver’s License, bearing the name James Femi but with his picture.
Essien initially pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges but later changed his plea on November 24, 2015. He was finally sentenced to 7 years in prison yesterday.
Source: DailyPost
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