There are new indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was not involved in the arrest of flamboyant Nigerian socialite, Ray Hushpuppi.
The chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu told TVC News Journalists Hangout, on Friday, that the commission is yet to be involved in the case.
He said, “We are yet to be involved in the case of Hushpuppi, but if they happen to give us this thing (details) we would assist.”
He also said the EFCC is not all about arrest and prosecution of internet fraudsters but, also involved in rehabilitating the suspects.
“We are not all about arresting, prosecuting and chasing of internet fraudsters, and taking away the proceeds of their crime, but we are also trying to see wether we can rehabilitate them.
“Because most of this boys are either undergraduate or graduate from higher institutions, so they can be better people to our country.
“The menace of Yahoo boys is also a course of concern, we are collaborating with other law enforcement agencies.
“Yahoo boys have an association with their mothers who do not feel what their children are doing is a crime actually. It is called the “Yahoo Yahoo Mothers Association, a suitation where the mother would go abroad and the child would stay there and help them syphon funds from credit card fraud.
“So we are doing everything possible to arrest the situation,” he added.
Earlier today, we reported official confirmation that the popular and flamboyant Nigerian socialite arrested in Dubai, UAE, for fraud, Ray Hushpuppi will be extradited to Nigeria.
Hushpuppi whose real name is Raymond Igbalodely was arrested on Wednesday morning at his hotel apartment alongside his associates by operatives of Interpol and the FBI.
However, in an official statement credited to Head of Interpol in Nigeria, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, he said:
He said: “It is true that Hushpuppi was arrested by the INTERPOL. We are currently working on bringing him to Nigeria to face charges of fraud.
“Some of the offences were committed here in Nigeria and he has to answer for them. He is not alone in it; there are accomplices in the country who we are currently on their trail,” said the CP.
Few days ago, there were unconfirmed reports that Hushpuppi and his alleged gangs of Internet fraudsters have been extradited to the United States.
According into an eyewitnesses Dubai said Hushpuppi and his friend where ‘allegedly surrounded by the International police and FBI on the grounds of being fraud suspects’. Hushpuppi who said he will not come back to Nigeria has been accused of being an Internet fraudster because of his flamboyant and expensive lifestyles without a convincing business and source of his lavish lifestyle.
According to the unconfirmed charges by the Interpol, Hushpuppi’s Internet fraud gang were accused of exploiting COVID-19 benefits to scam the American government by diverting the benefits from the unemployed victims. The report alleged that the gang must have stolen over $35 million in unemployed benefits.
However, the latest reports suggested that Hushpuppi’s Internet fraud gang could have defrauded American states and tax payers close to $100 million.
While he has never denied he was into Internet fraud, Hushpuppi has used social media, particularly, Instagram to taunt his critics. In one of his posts, he said “I wear people’s mortgage’, boasting of how rich he is.
While many people might be oblivious of the allegations against him, fresh facts have emerged on how Internet fraudsters are exploiting the devastating Novel Coronavirus pandemic outbreak in the U.S. to defraud unsuspecting Americans and state governments of several billions of dollars.
On Thursday, we reported that less than 48 hours his widely-reported arrest, America’s, tax agency, the IRS, issued more warnings that Americans could lose huge amounts of money to Internet scammers.
The IRS Criminal Investigation unit said in a statement that scammers are continuing to use the coronavirus pandemic as cover for schemes to steal personal information and money.
According to a statement released by the IRS Criminal Investigation unit has seen “a tremendous increase in phishing schemes utilizing emails, letters, texts and links.” The schemes typically use keywords such as “Corona Virus,” “COVID-19,” and “Stimulus” in phishing email subject lines.
