The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has arrested the duo of Egbedayo Semilore and Elijah Jeremiah aka (Jerry), a self-styled fashion Director of Datsol Industries Limited after successfully using the internet to fleece many unsuspecting foreigners and Nigerians and smiling to their banks in the process. A statement signed by the EFCC’s Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren said that while Semilore, 26, engages in Internet love scam, Jeremiah, 29, is a predator on online auction sites.
According to the statement, “Semilore while posing as an Afghan-based U.S Army officer with the phantom names of “Sergeant Shaft Pagan” and “Perrie Edingson”, defrauded unsuspecting women in search of men for marriage and partnership. His last victim is one P. J. (full names withheld), a U.S national from whom he claimed to have obtained about N4 million in tranches and bought himself a car. Though arrested differently, the suspects have both made confessional statements.”
The anti-graft agency further disclosed that Jeremiah confessed to using fake instruments to order goods from China through online auction sites. He admitted downloading letters of credit purportedly issued by “Scotia Online Financial Services of Scotia Bank Worldwide” from Google with which he pays for his purchases. “The auctioneers, unaware of his antics, often fall victim of his game by shipping the goods to him ahead of confirmation of payment. “Semilore, during interrogation also confessed to have used proceeds of the romance scam to sustain a flamboyant lifestyle and bought himself a 2010 Lexus car which he registered in his mother’s name. The EFCC said that the two men would soon be tried in court to account for their action.
