The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, Nov. 17, charged Ijeboi Dennis and Obade Monday to court for wire fraud.
The men were arraigned before Justice Abubakar Baba Shani of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja.
The police said Dennis (a.k.a. Andrew Tran Huynh) had claimed to be a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) commander and Monday had claimed to be a Diplomat Director.
The defendants are accused of conspiracy and obtaining $2,822,860 by false pretense.
The EFCC said they defrauded Holly Ngo, a United States citizen, while posing as American doctors stranded in Afghanistan.
The agency indicted four men: Dennis, Monday, Ekhoguagbon Osazuwa Patrick (a.k.a.Patrick Paul – at large) and Omage Emmanuel Omole (deceased).
The five-count charges narrated how they perpetrated the alleged fraud between January 2021 and September 2021 in Abuja.
The offence violates Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act,2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
After they pleaded “not guilty”, prosecution counsel Christopher Mshelia prayed the court to set a date for trial and remand them.
Their lawyer, S. T. Sanni requested that Dennis and Monday remain in EFCC custody pending the determination of their bail application.
But Justice Baba Shani remanded the defendants at the Suleja Correctional Facility and adjourned till January 11, 2023.
