$6 Million Fraud: Retired Army Officers Son, Surrenders Self To EFCC |The Source

By Akinwale Kasali

It was an emotional scene when Felix Osilama Okpoh, the son of a retired Army Colonel, surrendered himself to the EFFC.

The suspected fraudster has been on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) following his alleged involvement in $6million internet fraud.

But accompanied by his devastated parents, he told the EFCC operatives that he was surrendering himself out of the respect he had for his parents.

EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, who confirmed the development in a statement in Port Harcourt, said the Commission was investigating the matter.

He said Okpoh, alongside Richard Izuchukwu Uzuh, Alex Afolabi Ogunshakin, Abiola Ayorinde Kayode and Nnamdi Orson Benson, were declared wanted by the FBI in 2019 for their alleged involvement in a scam in which  over 70 businesses in the United States were defrauded of over $6million.

He said Okpoh, on September 18, 2020, turned himself in at the Lagos Zonal Office of the Commission accompanied by his parents.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the police an order for interim forfeiture of a hotel, a bus and home appliances, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

Vacation judge Justice Nicholas Oweibo, made the order following an ex parte motion filed and argued by Mr Joseph Ebosereme, counsel to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID), Yaba, Lagos.

Ebosereme told the Judge that the unnamed hotel at Awori Town, Lagos, a Suzuki bus marked EPE 717 X2, two Plasma TVs and two generating sets belonged to Monday Uvi and Friday Joseph Eze, who were listed as respondents in the suit.

He sought an interim order prohibiting any “disposal, tampering, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienating or otherwise of the asset/properties, reasonably believed and suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In a bench ruling, Justice Oweibo held: “The application is considered and granted as prayed”.

He adjourned further hearing till October 7.