A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced Courage Ipaka to two years in prison after he was convicted of impersonating the popular Nigerian singer Flavour in a fraudulent scheme.
Ipaka was found guilty of defrauding Yvelte M. Thompson, a U.S.-based woman, out of $53,000 under the guise of organizing musical shows in the United States.
The case came to light after a petition was filed by Eyitayo Tolulope Abiodun and others on behalf of Thompson, prompting an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Led by investigator Azibagiri Dan Ekpar, the investigation revealed that Ipaka, who lives in Benin City, had impersonated Flavour and received payments from Thompson through Bitcoin transactions.
After converting the $53,000 into Naira, Ipaka deposited the funds into his Access Bank account. The investigation also confirmed that Flavour was not involved in the scam, and the singer was invited to clear his name.
As a result of the EFCC’s efforts, N7.9 million was recovered from Ipaka through Zenith and Access Bank manager’s cheques. This amount has now been forfeited to Thompson as part of the restitution.
In his ruling, presiding judge Dehinde Dipeolu sentenced Ipaka to two years in prison.
However, the court provided an alternative for Ipaka to pay a fine of N2 million in lieu of serving the full prison term. The N7.9 million recovered from Ipaka will also be returned to the victim.
This case underscores the increasing prevalence of online fraud and serves as a stern warning to those who might consider engaging in such deceitful activities.
The court’s decision highlights the serious consequences of exploiting unsuspecting victims through fraudulent schemes.
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