By Desire Emmanuel
A 24-year-old fraudster who swindled his victims of the sum of $35,000 (about N48.5 million) through Facebook and Instagram has been arrested by men of the Airport Police Command while he was about to board a plane.
The arrest of the man, Precious Onudhona, a native of Delta State, was made on February 2 following actionable intelligence and he was picked up while on his way to board a flight to Asaba, the state capital.
It was gathered that the man became involved in fraudulent activities in 2023 after joining a syndicate engaged in romance-related scams.
The syndicate reportedly targeted victims through social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, using carefully crafted false identities and deceptive narratives.
Further findings by the police indicated that the Precious posed as “Travis Kevin,” a white American medical doctor, and fraudulently created a fake banking domain displaying fictitious account balances.
He also used the platform to solicit funds from victims under the pretense of repaying them within a short period. The funds were claimed to be needed for feeding and medical supplies after he allegedly sustained injuries in the line of duty which he received through cryptocurrency.
He was said to have given more useful information about his fraudulent acts and the Commissioner of Police has directed that a thorough and comprehensive investigation be conducted to ensure that all other members of the fraud syndicate are identified and apprehended.
He is also expected to be transferred to the INTERPOL section for continuation of investigation and prosecution.
