The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Command, on Wednesday, arraigned the owner of an Ibadan-based Club, De Rock Club, Adepoju Olawale Sunday, alias SSG, before Justice Uche Agomoh a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on two separate charges for his alleged involvement in cybercrime and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N31, 821, 000.00.
According to a statement by the commission’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, on Thursday, the first charge containing eight counts bordered on identity theft, obtaining COVID-19 and unemployment benefits from the United States of America Government, while the other 19-count charge was premised on the transfer of proceeds of crime to one Owoade Emmanuel David.
EFCC said investigations revealed that Adepoju, 36, who claimed to be a graduate of Industrial Chemistry of the Olabisi Onabanjo University 9OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, had, during the COVID-19 pandemic, swindled the American government and unsuspecting American citizens of thousands of dollars.
He allegedly stole the identities of the American citizens eligible for the tax refund programme across the US and filed the stolen information to claim the benefits.
Uwujaren added that investigations showed that Adepoju, through the US Small Business Administration (SBA), a programme established in New York City during COVID-19 to help Americans build resilient businesses, stole personal identifying information of American citizens which he deployed in filing false benefit claims.
One of the eight counts read: “That you, Adepoju Olawale Sunday (a.k.a. SSG), Tope Ogunruku (a.k.a DLA Frd Husband) now at large, Owoade Emmanuel David (a.k.a. UK CEO Ace Lounge) now at large, Desmond (a.k.a. Stanf line 2 2022) now at large and Blessing (a.k.a. Ghost) now at large, sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to commit an illegal act to wit; identity theft, contrary to Sections 27(1)(b) and 22(2) (b)(ii) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the same Act.”
Count two reads “That you, Adepoju Olawale Sunday (a.k.a. SSG), Tope Ogunruku (a.k.a. DLA Frd Husband) now at large, Owoade Emmanuel David (a.k.a. UK CEO Ace Lounge) now at large, Desmond (a.k.a. Stanf line 2 2022) now at large and Blessing (a.k.a. Ghost) now at large, sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to commit an illegal act to wit; obtaining COVID-19 benefits from the United States of America government by falsely representing that you are one Joel Richard Carlson and, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Sections 8 and 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.”
Count one of the19-counts read: “That you, Adepoju Olawale Sunday a.k.a. SSG on or about the 21st day of September 2020 did transfer the sum of N3, 108, 000.00 from your bank account domiciled at Guaranty Trust Bank with account number 0050174721 to one Owoade Emmanuel David (a.k.a. UK CEO Ace Lounge) through his bank account domiciled at First City Monument Bank account number 2875316012, which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the procedure of an unlawful act, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
EFCC said the defendant pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.
“Consequently, the prosecution counsel, Mabas Mabur, asked the court for a trial date and remand the defendant, pending the determination of the case.
“However, counsel to the defendant, Olaniyi George, informed the court that he had filed two separate bail applications on behalf of his client and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.
“But Mabur told the court to reject the applications, because the defendant was a flight risk and had pending charges against him in other law courts.
“Justice Agomoh then adjourned the matter till April 18, 2023 for ruling and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Agodi Correctional facility.
“The defendant was arrested on August 31, 2022, alongside 21 other suspected internet fraudsters in an intelligence-driven operation carried out by the operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC. He was arrested with a 2020 Range Rover HSE Sports Utility vehicle, an iPhone 13 Pro Max and HP laptop, among others,” the statement said.