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419er jailed for 376 years (Nigerian Email Scam Netted $1.9 Mln from U.S. Man)
The Register ^ | Tuesday 14th February 2006 | Lester Haines

Posted on 02/14/2006 10:28:28 AM PST by nickcarraway

Hard time for $2m scammer

A Nigerian 419er was last Friday jailed for 376 years by a Lagos court for "stealing, forgery, impersonation and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences" contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud Act, the Nigerian Daily Independent reports.

Harrison Odiawa, 38, aka Abu Belgori, managed to extract $1,939,710 from US national George Robert Blake on the promise of a percentage of a bogus $20.45m Ministry of Health contract. The classic advance fee scam saw a duped Blake transfer the "advance payments" after seeing forged documents - including a certificate of registration with the Corporate Affairs Ministry and the aforementioned forged Ministry contract - which convinced him he was indeed about to get rich. Blake raised the cash from his company, Quest Exploration and Development, and his own personal assets.

Odiawa was eventually tracked and arrested in Lagos by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) operatives. During his trial, Blake appeared as the star witness and identified Odiawa from his voice because "because they had conversations for more than 100 times over the telephone". Odiawa countered that he was not in fact the person who had scammed the American but rather "chanced on the telephone number he found on a computer that was not lodged out from the internet in his cyber café".

Judge Joseph Olubumi Oyewale was unimpressed, and in jailing the 419er on 48 of the 58 counts on which he was charged, also ordered him to pay back $1.6m to his victim. He said he hoped the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

Blake has already served a 30-month jail sentence in the US for money laundering and bank wire offences.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bunco; email; nigeria; scam
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Not only was the guy scammed out of $1.9 million, he had to do 2 1/1 years in jail. How did a guy that dumb get that kind of money in the first place?
1 posted on 02/14/2006 10:28:32 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Hope I get my $7.2 mil before he goes to jail.


2 posted on 02/14/2006 10:32:23 AM PST by ladtx ("It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it." -- -- General Douglas MacArthur)
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To: nickcarraway

Hey...hold on here.I was promised by him that a check for 3 million dollars would be arriving at my house by the end of the week.Does this mean that the check will be delayed?????


3 posted on 02/14/2006 10:32:41 AM PST by Gay State Conservative
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To: nickcarraway

I sure am hoping his prison has access to the mail - I'm waiting for a check from the guy.


4 posted on 02/14/2006 10:33:37 AM PST by Billthedrill
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To: nickcarraway
The first time I saw one of those I knew it was a scam, and not one from the Society of Charitable African Millionaires, and I have practically nothing. How can anyone fall for such nonsense?
5 posted on 02/14/2006 10:33:39 AM PST by CzarNicky (The problem with bad ideas is that they seemed like good ideas at the time.)
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To: CzarNicky

Actually, I have to give them credit. Most spam is complete gibberish or very boring. At least those email scams are entertaining to read.


6 posted on 02/14/2006 10:35:08 AM PST by nickcarraway (I'm Only Alive, Because a Judge Hasn't Ruled I Should Die...)
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To: ladtx

Now that he has been sentenced to jail, he is looking for an American to help him hide millions that the courts are, as yet, unaware of...


7 posted on 02/14/2006 10:37:46 AM PST by dangus
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To: nickcarraway

With all the websites out there that help you determine scams and such I can't see how anyone these days can be duped out of nearly $2 million. This guys a sap.


8 posted on 02/14/2006 10:38:31 AM PST by mfnorman
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To: CzarNicky

i know it is crazy but there is some % of any human population that, if presented right, WILL believe there is such a thing as something for nothing if they just advance some money to make it happen.

folks fall for the nigerian scam ALL THE TIME.


9 posted on 02/14/2006 10:39:14 AM PST by WoofDog123
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To: nickcarraway; sure_fine

How can people be so fricking dumb?

G-r-e-e-d. There; answered my own question.


10 posted on 02/14/2006 10:40:43 AM PST by butternut_squash_bisque (Borders, Language, Cultureā„¢)
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To: nickcarraway
Never mind that, how many years did he get for all the SPAM???
11 posted on 02/14/2006 10:40:50 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: lowbridge

You coulda provided this guy financial security for only $70K. :)


12 posted on 02/14/2006 10:42:05 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
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To: nickcarraway

"Actually, I have to give them credit."

Just don't give your credit card.


13 posted on 02/14/2006 10:42:08 AM PST by razoroccam (Then in the name of Allah, they will let loose the Germs of War (http://www.booksurge.com))
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To: nickcarraway

A fool and his money are soon parted.


14 posted on 02/14/2006 10:42:23 AM PST by Search4Truth (The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.)
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To: nickcarraway
...a computer that was not lodged out from the internet...

How does one "lodge out" a computer?

Idiot journalist!!!

15 posted on 02/14/2006 10:43:00 AM PST by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
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To: nickcarraway
I cannot believe someone actually fell for that scam!!! Geez, ...
16 posted on 02/14/2006 10:43:08 AM PST by LIConFem (A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi.)
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To: nickcarraway
Nigerian Email Scam Netted $1.9 Mln from U.S. Man

What an idiot...I figured it out without even sending them half that much.....

17 posted on 02/14/2006 10:44:17 AM PST by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
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To: nickcarraway
At least those email scams are entertaining to read.

You want entertaining? Spend a few hours at http://scamorama.com/

18 posted on 02/14/2006 10:46:24 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: nickcarraway

"How did a guy that dumb get that kind of money in the first place?"

... and why didn't I marry him? ;-D


19 posted on 02/14/2006 10:47:39 AM PST by linda_22003
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To: nickcarraway

Ok...someone post the FreeRepublic 419 joke they pulled on the scammers.


20 posted on 02/14/2006 10:50:25 AM PST by jamz
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