The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on
Thursday, September 4, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of one
Dennis Tamarakuro (a.k.a. Keisha Reynolds) before Justice Emeka Nwite of the
Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Tamarakuro was arraigned on a one-count charge
bordering on cybercrimes.
The lone charge reads: “That you, DENNIS TAMARAKURO
(a.k.a Keisha Reynolds) sometime in December 2024 at Abuja within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, falsely
represented yourself as Keisha Reynolds, a female private investor in the
United States of America, and in that assumed character obtained the sum of
$71,795.41 (Seventy-One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Five Dollars,
Forty-One Cents) from one Philbert, through Bybit, and thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition,
Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 as Amended in 2024 and punishable under Section
22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”
He pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.
Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Maryam
Aminu Ahmed, presented an EFCC investigator, Ogunjobi Olalekan, to review the
facts of the case
Olalekan told the court that intelligence from the
Jackson Township Police Department in the United States revealed that a
Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Pregnancy Support Network, was
defrauded of $71,795.41. Investigations showed that the NGO’s bank details were
compromised and the funds diverted through a romance scam turned money mule
scheme.
The funds were traced through several intermediaries,
including a suspect identified as Libson Junior, before being converted to
cryptocurrency and sent to a Bitcoin address on Bybit exchange. Further
investigations revealed that the wallet was owned by Tamarakuro
According to Olalekan, Tamarakuro received 0.27
Bitcoin twice from Libson Junior, and later withdrew $18,000 worth of
cryptocurrency through Busha exchange
Responses from both Bybit and Busha exchanges
confirmed that the accounts belonged to the convict.
“Upon arrest, the allegation was brought to his
attention in the presence of his lawyer. He was interviewed under video
recording, cautioned and he made a voluntary statement,” Olalekan said. He
added that out of the $71,795.41 defrauded, the EFCC recovered over $42,000 in
cryptocurrency, while the balance was blocked by a U.S. bank.
The prosecution tendered documents including
Tamarakuro’s statement and correspondences with the exchanges, which were
admitted as exhibits. It also confirmed the recovery of $22,157.40 from Bybit
and $20,121.41 from Busha exchange, and urged the court to forfeit the sums to
the victim.
Justice Nwite convicted Tamarakuro as charged
Meanwhile, defence counsel, Laye Aeemokoya, pleaded for leniency, citing his client’s status as a first-time offender, a father and caregiver to an aged mother, and the fact that all proceeds of the crime had been recovered by the EFCC.
In his judgment, Justice Nwite sentenced Tamarakuro to
one year imprisonment with an option of N1 million fine payable to the Federal
Government of Nigeria. He also ordered that the recovered sums be forfeited to
the victim and directed the convict to depose to an affidavit of good conduct.
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