Chima Hyginus Nkwocha, also known as “Young Billionaire,” was found guilty of money laundering and impersonation fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC.
Nkwocha was imprisoned on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, according to a statement released by the commission on Wednesday evening, January 8, 2025.
Nkwocha was arraigned on a two-count allegation that bordered on money laundering and impersonation cheating before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
One of the counts read: “That you, Chima Hyginus Nkwocha (AKA Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown & Chettot), sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently impersonate Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, Frank Brown, and Chiress Riffatt on Gmail and Google Voice using the Gmail addresses frankcorbett272@gmail.com and chriressrifatt@gmail.com with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtaining a cumulative sum of Three Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($345,000) from Linda Wheeler, an American, and receiving the naira equivalent through Ginux Global Nigeria Limited with account No. 1228782493 domiciled in Zenith Bank, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22(2) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Act.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges once they were read to him.
Following his guilty plea, prosecuting attorney Lanre Adeola Olariwaju examined the case against Nkwocha and requested that the court punish him accordingly.
According to Olariwaju, the convict was apprehended in August 2024 in Abuja’s Lugbe area after the EFCC’s Advanced Fee Fraud Section received intelligence.
Nkwocha’s path to the correctional Centre began when he was detained for internet fraud, prosecuted in court, and pleaded guilty to the two counts brought against him.
The court ordered the confiscation of these items, which were considered proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
