The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over N96.5 million to victims of Ponzi schemes in Enugu State.
The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Oyewale said the restitution was in line with the EFCC’s commitment to combating economic and financial crimes and ensuring that victims of fraudulent schemes recover their funds.
He said the commission received a petition dated September 30, 2024, from one Chijioke Ngwu and others against one Oyubu Akpojewve, also known as Justice Nonso Chima, Managing Director of Leverage Index Limited.
According to the petitioners, Akpojewve lured them into investing the said sum in a Ponzi scheme.
“He presented offers to prospective investors in two formats: what he called the Monthly Plan and another one called Live Trading.
“The Monthly Plan required that an investor transfer a minimum of N2.5 million or more to a designated UBA account for the firm to trade in forex. After this, a monthly profit of N200,000 or eight per cent of the total investment is paid to the investor, while the capital is retained for further trading if the investor so wishes.
“The Live Trading format required an investor to transfer any amount to Leverage Index for a live trading session on a designated day, after which the firm remits 10 per cent of the total sum transferred as profit the next day,” the petitioners said.
They added that after they invested their money, Akpojewve, who claimed to be a registered forex trader, began giving excuses about disagreements with trading partners before eventually shutting down his office and becoming unreachable.
Oyewale said EFCC operatives investigated and discovered that Akpojewve conspired with others to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money.
While handing over the recovered funds to the victims, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring fraudsters are denied the proceeds of crime and that victims recover their funds.
Represented by the Enugu Zonal Director, Daniel Isei, Olukoyede advised Nigerians to exercise caution when approached with enticing investment offers.
“My final word, beyond giving you the draft, is that this should serve as a lesson. We should be more circumspect and vigilant during business proposals. Some offers may look too good to be real. We should not be in a hurry to double our money overnight,” he said.
Another recipient, Ikechukwu Ogbunubi, who received N10 million, also lauded the commission for its relentless efforts.
Another recipient, Ikechukwu Ogbunubi, who received N10 million, also lauded the commission for its relentless efforts.
Other beneficiaries include Temple Lewis Maduka, who received N7.5 million; Ngwu A, who received N19.4 million; and Alphonsus Umeh, who received N7 million.