Our Advance Fee Fraud Awareness in Action: Conman Caught

Money recovered from Barrister Theophilus Nwaigbo in Lagos, Nigeria

April 20, 2006—On about February 23, 2006, officers of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Operation invited Barrister Theophilus Nwaigbo regarding fraud involving a sum of $636.00 he committed in 2001. He was detained at EFCC until he produced N65,240.00 being the exchange amount he collected from local bank in Nigeria.

On April 18, 2006, acting on instruction, Barrister T. C. Eze collected the recovered money from EFCC on bond.

Methodology of Fraud

Mr. Nwaigbo committed the fraud by pretending that he will register a charity organization in Nigeria within three months. Our Executive Director sent the money to him in Lagos from New York City through MoneyGram Money Transfer on February 6, 2001.

After three months he stated that the charity had been registered at Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja and that the certificate and relevant papers was ready for pick up from his office. Numerous attempts to pick up the documents were futile.

When he eventually admitted that he never registered the organization, he was requested to refund the money. Mr. Nwaigbo in response, threatened brimstone and fire to use his profession as a lawyer, numerous contact with the police and law enforcement agencies to illegally harass and deal with our Executive Director. He used a lot of threats, scare tactics, intimidations and often mixes them up with pleading, then back to threats, scare tactics, intimidations and back to pleading to get his way. His popular line he uses so often is; “let’s not destroy each other, yes you could damage my reputation, but I will destroy you”.

Mr. Nwaigbo brags that he has every police officer in Lagos under his beck and call and that he will utilize them to unleash terror and harm on anyone as he wish. Mr. Nwaigbo has on several occasions rolled out names of senior officials of EFCC, Lagos office as well as senior police officers in various police formations in Lagos who he said are at his "beck and call".

Latest straw that broke the camel’s back

His latest attempt to commit fraud was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. In September 2005, he collected large sum of money from our Executive Director to retrieve two vehicles from an individual who was attempting to defraud him. Upon reading the petition materials and discovering that police officers involved in that matter were his friends and associates at SCID, Panti, Lagos, Mr. Nwaigbo decided to sabotage the case.

He boasted that even though the Nigeria law enforcement had confirmed that the crimes outlined in the petition to be true, he would use his connections to derail the investigation.

Encouraged by the reforms taking place in Nigeria cum the “new Nigeria Police” and EFCC, our Executive Director petitioned relevant authorities demanding for justice in this matter, Barrister Nwaigbo’s immense connections notwithstanding.

Our Executive Director also wrote the Nigeria Bar Association regarding professional misconduct of Barrister Nwaigbo with reference to the two fraud and other matters.

Mr. Nwaigbo called our Executive Director on the telephone on December 23, 2005 (Friday) and exploded in anger saying that he will defend anyone whatsoever that will assassinate him, free of charge. He also threatened to blackmail him.

He threatened that our Executive Director will taste his power and connections anytime he visits Nigeria. He added that people who write petitions are kidnapped, killed and dumped everyday in Nigeria and no one ask questions.

Asked whether he has done it before, Barrister Nwaigbo replied, “Go to Panti or any police in this Lagos and ask about me”.

Asked why he thinks it will be that easy and Barrister Nwaigbo stated; “Do you think this is America?” He also threatened to release a statement that our Executive Director has problems with few individuals and that will be the end of the story.

Nigeria advance fee fraudsters using various tactics are now targeting Nigerians living oversees to disposes them of their money and applying threat of high connection in Nigeria law enforcement to prevent the victims from seeking justice. Our Advance Fee Fraud Awareness is designed to assist the victims to recover their loss.

Our special appreciation to the officers of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Operation office for assisting in this recovery, as we continue to hope that justice will be done on the rest of the issues raised.