A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Chima Nkwocha, popularly known as “Young Billionaire,” to two years imprisonment for defrauding an American citizen of $345,000.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that Nkwocha was arrested in August 2024 and subsequently arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on two counts of impersonation and fraud. He pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to the EFCC, Nkwocha impersonated individuals named Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown, and Chiress Riffatt using fake Gmail accounts and Google Voice.
He duped Linda Wheeler, an American, into transferring $345,000, which he received through his company, Ginux Global Nigeria Ltd, with a Zenith Bank account.
During the trial, EFCC counsel Lanre Olanrewaju presented evidence of assets linked to the crime, including:
A black Mercedes Benz ML 350
Two gold necklaces, a gold bracelet, and $2,200 cash
N90,280,934.00 in the Ginux Global Zenith Bank account
Real estate properties in Lagos, Abuja, and Lekki
Two Zenith Bank drafts worth N8 million
Assorted phones and electronic devices
Justice Nwite, satisfied with the prosecution’s submissions, sentenced Nkwocha to two years imprisonment with an option of a ₦2 million fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all assets seized from Nkwocha to the Federal Government.
The EFCC statement confirmed the forfeited items include the Mercedes Benz, gold jewellery, $2,200 cash, funds in the Zenith Bank account, real estate properties, and other electronic devices recovered from the convict.
