Young Billionaire Sentenced to Two Years for $345,000 Fraud in Abuja Court

 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Chima Nkwocha, also known as Young Billionaire, to two years in prison for defrauding an American citizen out of $345,000.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nkwocha was arrested in August 2024. He faced charges of impersonation and fraud in front of Justice Emeka Nwite, to which he pleaded guilty.

The EFCC’s statement detailed how Nkwocha, under various aliases like Frank Nils, Frank Cobert, and Chiress Riffatt, used fake Gmail accounts to impersonate these people and deceive an American named Linda Wheeler. He tricked her into sending him $345,000, which he then received in Nigeria through Ginux Global Nigeria Limited, using an account at Zenith Bank.

During the trial, the prosecution presented several items as evidence, including a black Mercedes Benz, two gold necklaces, a bracelet, $2,200 in cash, over 90 million Naira, and properties like a three-bedroom terrace duplex and a plot of land. These assets were all tied to Nkwocha’s fraudulent activities.

After he admitted to the crime, Justice Nwite found Nkwocha guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison, with an option to pay a fine of N2 million. The court also ordered that all the items seized from him—like the car, jewelry, cash, and properties—be forfeited to the Nigerian government as proceeds of his crime.