An Ilorin High Court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced Oluwaseun Hammed Odeyemi, an internet fraudster, to a six-month suspended jail term on two counts of fraud, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretenses. Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar presided over the case, prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Oluwaseun, who hails from Oyo State, posed online as “Lord Hill” and other aliases, claiming to be an American-based female spiritualist with powers to rekindle lost romantic relationships. Using this guise, he defrauded victims of thousands of dollars.
According to court records, Oluwaseun dishonestly induced one Bose in December 2023 to send him $3,200 worth of gift cards under the pretense that he could use spiritual means to reunite her with her ex-husband. Similarly, between August and September 2023, he deceived another victim, Schneider Alina, into transferring $4,500 worth of gift cards for similar false promises.
Oluwaseun pleaded guilty to the charges, prompting EFCC counsel Sesan Ola to present evidence, including the convict’s confessional statements, $1,000 in cash, an iPhone 15, and a 2008 Toyota Camry, all recovered during the investigation.
In his ruling, Justice Abdulgafar found the evidence overwhelming and sentenced Oluwaseun to six months of suspended imprisonment on each count. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of the recovered cash, phone, and car to the Federal Government.
The EFCC has reaffirmed its commitment to combating cybercrime, urging the public to be cautious of online scams and fraudulent schemes.
