Internet fraudster bags 36-yr jail term for internet love scam

A 37-year-old alleged internet fraudster identified as Akintunde Vincent Abiodun, a.k.a. Christopher Williams has been slammed with a total of 36-year jail term after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Friday, secured his conviction and sentencing.

The accused was sentenced by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, and it is coming after he was arraigned on January 23, 2017 on an amended 12-count charge of stealing and forgery to the tune of N7, 806, 093

He will however spend six years in jail as the sentence is to run concurrently.

According to prosecutors, Abiodun presented himself as Christopher Williams to his victim, Dona Bonni, whom he met on a dating site on the Internet and proceeded to defraud her over a period of time.

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As part of his tricks, Abiodun had told Bonni that he inherited gemstones worth $18, 050,000 (Eighteen Million and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) from his late father in the United Kingdom.

The prosecutors also revealed that he forged an American passport with which he convinced his victim of his purported nationality and consequently, the convict dishonestly received various sums of money, at different times, from his victim.

When he was arraigned, he pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thereby setting the stage for his trial.

After listening to the prosecutor, Justice Ipaye, however, sentenced the accused to six years imprisonment. Abiodun was found guilty and jailed three years each on counts 1 to 11 of stealing. The sentences are to run concurrently. The convict was also found guilty and jailed three years each on count 12 of forgery. The sentences are to run separately from the date of arraignment.

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