Ayobamiji Komolafe 
An Abuja High Court in Jabi, presided over by Justice H.L. Abba-Aliyu, has convicted and sentenced Praise Humphrey Igbo, also known as “Jessica Allen,” to one year in prison for internet fraud.
The court gave this ruling on Wednesday, following his guilty plea to charges of impersonation, obtaining money under false pretences, and money laundering.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted Igbo for defrauding Aaron Baker, an American citizen, of $115,000 in Bitcoin by impersonating Jessica Allen, a fake cryptocurrency trader.
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According to the charge, the fraud occurred in 2022 when Igbo tricked Baker into transferring 5.26 Bitcoins through a fabricated investment opportunity on Blockchain.com.
Justice Abba-Aliyu sentenced Igbo to one-year imprisonment or an option of a ₦1,000,000 fine.
Additionally, the court ordered that $16,110, $67,487.79 in cryptocurrency, and funds in Igbo’s bank account be used to restitute the victim via the American Embassy.
The EFCC’s investigation began after a petition from the victim, who detailed how Igbo’s fraudulent scheme led to the loss of his Bitcoin investment.
The court’s judgment emphasizes the EFCC’s commitment to combating internet fraud and protecting victims of financial crimes.
