The Enugu zonal directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, February 17, arrested two fraudsters, Samuel Inalegwu Okpala and Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube, for their involvement in a ₦35.3 million investment scam.
They were apprehended for conspiring with one Chibuike Vincent DePaul Izundu, who is currently at large, to defraud 32 investors under the guise of a digital investment platform.
According to petitions submitted to the anti-graft agency, the victims were persuaded to invest in Paybeta Digital Limited, a company linked to Izundu, the principal suspect.
The petitioners said the company representatives claimed to be dealers in recharge cards, electricity units, and subscriptions for DSTV and GOTV.
They were promised returns on investment ranging from 15 to 80 percent, depending on the investment duration.
The victims further claimed that shortly after collecting the funds, the representatives became unreachable and all attempts to recover the money failed.
Preliminary investigations by the EFCC revealed that Izundu used Okpala’s business account, RFB Global Resources Nigeria Limited, to receive the illicit funds.
At the time of his arrest, Okpala was found with a bank token intended for delivery to Nzube on the instruction of Izundu.
Further examination of the fraudsters’ mobile phones uncovered incriminating messages linking both men to Izundu’s fraudulent operations.
It was also discovered that Nzube was involved in separate internet-related crimes, specifically specializing in romance scams.
The EFCC stated that the duo will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
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