Cybercrime: Police arrests 2 suspects for defrauding foreign company of €14.7m

*Suspects Babatunde Adesanya and Akinpelu Hassan Abass are members of a sophisticated transnational criminal network ─Report

*They reportedly cloned corporate Web site of ILBN Holdings BV, Holland, to defraud certain Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

For allegedly committing cybercrime and belonging to a sophisticated transnational criminal network, the Cybercrime Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, INTERPOL, National Central Bureau, Abuja, FCT, has arrested two Nigerians for their complicity in a major multi-million Euro scam totalling €14.7million.

The fraud involved procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

Babatunde Adesanya, a.k.a Teddy, 50years old Master’s degree holder in Cell Biology and Akinpelu Hassan Abass, 41 years old, the M.D Musterpoint Investment Nigeria Limited, are the arrested suspects said to be members of a sophisticated transnational criminal network.

Frank Mba, Spokesman of NPF, in a statement disclosed this Sunday, September 6.

The suspects were said to have cloned the corporate Web site of ILBN Holdings BV, Holland to transact with and defraud one Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn, a representative of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Mba disclosed that the arrest of the suspects was sequel to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) received by the Bureau from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, conveying a request from the German Government for investigations into a fraudulent transaction on the procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment linked to a Nigerian-based Bank Account.

According to him, discrete investigations by INTERPOL Nigeria revealed that the suspects and their Holland-based cohorts, certain Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder specialised in identity theft, cyber-stalking, cloning of corporate websites amongst other cyber mischiefs to defraud unsuspecting members of the public across the world.

The suspects fraudulently obtained from Mr. Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn the sum of 1.5m Euro and another 880,000 Euro as advanced payment for the supply of COVID-19 PPEs valued at 14.7million Euros.

The Spokesman said that the fraud bordered on the procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed A. Adamu, NPM, mni commended commended CP Garba Baba Umar, Commissioner of Police, INTERPOL, and operatives of INTERPOL Nigeria, Cybercrime Unit for a job well done.

The IGP assures members of the public and the international community of the commitment of the Force to tackling cybercrimes and other transnational crimes.

Adamu reiterates that there will be no hiding place for internet fraudsters in the country.

The suspects will be arraigned before a competent court of law soon, said Mba in the statement.

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