Nigerian fraudster posing as ‘Tom Cruise’ convicted in Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, secured the conviction and sentencing of an internet fraudster, Etegene Japheth, to 6 months imprisonment before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offence court docket sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Japheth was arraigned on a one count amended cost bordering on possession of paperwork containing false pretence.

Japheth (aka Mr. Tim Graw and Tom Cruise), on or concerning the 16th day of February 2022 in Lagos, had in his possession a number of documents containing false pretenses, one in all which is a document of his dialog with a number of unsuspecting victims through his electronic mail address: [email protected], whereby he represented himself as Mr. Tim Graw and Tom Cruise as a way to receive gift cards and cash from them, a illustration he knew was false.

He pleaded “responsible” to the cost when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Blessing John, reviewed the information of the case and tendered in proof the statement of the defendant in addition to the bundle of fraudulent paperwork printed out from the iPhone 12 recovered from him.

The prosecution counsel additionally prayed that he be convicted and sentenced accordingly.

Justice Taiwo admitted them in evidence as reveals A and B, and pronounced him responsible as charged.

He was, thereafter, sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, with a possibility of N200,000 fine.

The convict was ordered to additionally forfeit all objects recovered from him to the Federal Authorities of Nigeria.