A convicted internet fraudster, Hope Olusegun Aroke, who is currently serving a 24-year jail term at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Lagos is again being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly masterminding a mega scam to the tune of over $1million.
This
was disclosed in a statement by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday.
The statement reads: “Aroke allegedly pulled the heist right from prison using
a network of accomplices, some of them targets of fraud and money laundering
investigation.
“The
lid on his latest fraud exploits from the bowels of the Maximum Correctional
Centre was blown following intelligence received by the EFCC.
“The immediate riddle that confronted the EFCC was how it was possible for the
convict to continue to ply his ignoble trade of Internet fraud from prison.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the convict, against established
standard practice, had access to internet and mobile phone in the Correctional
Centre where he is supposed to be serving his jail term.
“Even more puzzling was the finding that Aroke got himself admitted to the
Nigeria Police Hospital, Falomo, Lagos for an undisclosed ailment. And from the
hospital, he would move out to lodge in hotels, meet with his wife and two
children and attend other social functions. “The circumstance of his admission
into the hospital and those who aided his movement from the hospital to hotels
and other social engagements is already being investigated by the EFCC. “For a
felon supposedly serving a jail term, investigation revealed that the Aroke
used a fictitious name, Akinwunmi Sorinmade, to open two accounts with First Bank
Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. “He also bought a property at Fountain Spring
Estate, in Lekki, Lagos in 2018 for N22million and a Lexus RX 350 2018 model
registered in his wife’s name, Maria Jennifer Aroke. “The convict was also in
possession of his wife’s bank account token in prison, which he used to freely
transfer funds. “Further investigation revealed that, while his trial was
ongoing in 2015, Aroke bought a four bedroom duplex at Plot 12, Deji Fadoju
Street, Megamounds Estate, from Lekki County Homes, Lekki for N48million.
“Aroje was one of the two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters
arrested by the EFCC in the closing weeks of 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate,
Victoria Island, Lagos following a tip-off. “The indigene of Okene, Kogi state
had claimed to be a student of Computer Science at the Kuala Lumpur
Metropolitan University, Malaysia. “But the Commission’s investigation fingered
him as the arrow head of an intricate web of internet fraud scheme that
traversed two continents. “When Aroke was arrested, a search conducted by EFCC
operatives on his apartment led to the recovery of several items such as
laptops, iPad, travelling documents, cheque books, flash drives, internet
modem, and three exotic cars – a Mercedes Benz Jeep, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz
Car and a Range Rover Sport SUV. “He was eventually convicted by Justice
Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos State High Court on two counts of obtaining money by
false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery. “He was sentenced to
twelve years imprisonment on each of the two counts.”