$1m Scam: EFCC Arrest Kirikiri Bosses That Helped H-Money Operate from Prison

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Deputy Controller of Kirikiri maximum correctional centre, Emmanuel Oluwaniyi and Hemeson Edwin, also a DC, for allegedly procuring an exaggerated medical report for a suspected cyber scammer, Olusegun Aroke aka H-money.

Aroke, who is serving a 24-year jail term, was allegedly given a referral for treatment outside the facility during which he pulled a $1 million scam.

The convict is one of two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters arrested by the EFCC in 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos following a tip-off.

According to the EFCC, preliminary investigation revealed that the convict, against established standard practice, had access to the internet and mobile phone in the Correctional Centre.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday explained that Oluwaniyi and his accomplice, Edwin, who was in charge of the clinic in the correctional centre, were arrested on Monday by operatives of the commission.

The suspects were said to have given useful information about their alleged involvement in the crime.

Aroke, also known as H.Money, had masterminded a mega scam to the tune of over $1 million.

He committed the alleged crime from prison, using a network of accomplices.

Aroke, who hails from Okene in Kogi State, had claimed to be a student of Computer Science at the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia.

However, investigations by the commission revealed Aroke as the arrowhead of an internet fraud scheme that traversed two continents.

When the convict was arrested, a search conducted by EFCC operatives on his apartment led to the recovery of several items such as laptops, iPad, travel documents, cheque books, flash drives, internet modem, and three exotic cars – a Mercedes Benz SUV, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz and a Range Rover Sport SUV.

He was eventually convicted by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on two counts of obtaining money by false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery.

He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on each of the two counts.