Nigerian Man Pulls off Million-Dollar Online Scam from Prison

Nigerian authorities have opened a probe to find out how a man convicted of fraud ran a $1 million (Ksh100 million) online scam from behind bars.

Hope Olusegun is currently serving a 24-year sentence at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos, having been convicted of fraud seven years ago.

Olusegun’s fraud schemes are said to be international and covered two continents.

An preliminary investigation found Olusegun had access to a mobile phone and the internet while in prison.

Using a fake identity, he reportedly managed to open two bank accounts, buy a luxury car and houses around Nigeria using proceeds from his crimes.

At one point, Olusegun was admitted to the Nigeria Police Hospital in Lagos but exited the hospital under unclear circumstances and went to a hotel to meet with family members and attend social functions. He is suspected to have been conniving with prison officials after bribing them to cover him up.

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Olesegun masterminded a “mega scam” to the tune of more than $1m from jail. He was arrested in 2012 and sentenced for internet fraud.

The EFCC said they are trying to establish how he “continued to ply his ignoble trade of Internet fraud from prison”.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the convict, against established standard practice, had access to internet and mobile phone in the correctional center where he is supposed to be serving his jail term,” EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwajaren said in a statement.