$11m fraud: Court orders interim forfeiture of Invictus Obi’s houses, cars
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the interim forfeiture of the houses and cars linked to Obiwanne Okeke, popularly known as Invictus Obi, who the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission described as “a strong leader of a cyber-crime syndicate that specialized in business e-mail compromise”.
Based on a ex parte application filed by the EFCC, Justice Lifu ordered the temporary forfeiture of Obi’s two properties designated at House 4, Oakville Estate, Kado Kuchi, Abuja; a five bedroom duplex at Standard Estate, Kabusa, Abuja; a Toyota Corolla with plate number RBC6238N and an unregistered Toyota Corolla Sport Vehicle.
Obi was arrested in the United States of America over an alleged $11m cyber fraud and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
He was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation after being implicated as the ring leader of a cybercrime syndicate that had defrauded some Americans to the tune of $11m “through fraudulent wire transfer instructions in a massive, coordinated business email compromise scheme”.
An operative of the EFCC, Usman Abdulhamid, said in an affidavit filled in support of the ex parte application that “On further investigation by the commission, two more properties were traced belonging to the convict, along with two vehicles parked in the residence. The application is pertinent to restitute the victims of the fraud through the United States of America Consulate.
“This matter is of very urgent public interest and concern as it directly tarnishes the image of the Federal Republic of Nigeria among the comity of nations.
Justice Lifu, after listening to the argument of the EFCC counsel, Chinenye Okezie, held that the application was meritorious and subsequently ordered the interim forfeiture of the houses and vehicles.
After granting the order as prayed, Justice Lifu directed the EFCC to publish the temporary forfeiture in a widely read newspaper in Nigeria within 14 days and adjourned till November 30 for any interested party to appear before him to show cause why the order should not be permanent.
