A Federal High Court in Kaduna presided by Justice P. Mallong has sentenced one Collins Samuel to two years imprisonment for fraudulently obtaining $8000 as COVID-19 benefits from the US State of Virginia.
Samuel, who was arrested in Jos, Plateau State was said to have fraudulently presented himself as Ashley Coopper, an American citizen affected by COVID-19.
He allegedly obtained $8,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) from Virginia, United States.
The defendant, was on March 11, 2021 arraigned by the Kaduna Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on one-count charge that bordered on impersonation and obtaining by false pretenses.
According to the charge, the convict had sometime in February 2021 in Jos, Plateau State did commit an offense to wit, impersonation when he fraudulently held himself as one Ashley Cooper, a citizen of the United States of America.
Samuel was alleged to have with the intent to gain advantage for himself applied and received $8000 as ‘Pandemic Unemployment Assistant’ from the State of Virginia.
Investigations revealed that Samuel redeemed the $8,000 benefit through bitcoin wallet addresses he got from various cryptocurrency traders.
He, thereby, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (1) & (ii) of the Cyber Crime ( Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015”.
When the charge was read, he pleaded ‘not guilty’ following which Mallong adjourned the case untill March 22, for determination of bail application and trial.
However, at the resumed hearing, Samuel pleaded guilty to an amended charge and the prosecution counsel prayed the court to convict him accordingly.
Mallong consequently convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment with an option of N500, 000 fine.
The convict was also to forfeit the following items: one Toyota Camry 2010 model car, an HP Elite Book 840 Laptop and iPad Model A 1396.
The convict is to pay the sum of $8,000 which is equivalent to N3. 296million found in his Access Bank Account as restitution to the victim (The State of Viginia) through the United State Embassy, Abuja.
