Three Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to five years in prison each by an Indian court after being found guilty of defrauding a female school teacher in a sophisticated online scam.
The convicts – Nelson Chigaogejimu, Francis Emeka, and Udala Chukwudi – were charged with cheating, forgery, and violations of India’s Information Technology and Foreigners Acts. In addition to the prison sentence, each was fined Rs 75,000, with a further 15-day jail term if the fine remains unpaid.
According to The Times of India, the verdict was delivered on Saturday by Chief Judicial Magistrate Richa Verma. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Ruchi Singh, a teacher from Aashanagar, who reported being conned out of Rs 6.3 lakh (approximately ₦11 million).
The fraud began in May 2020 when Singh received a message from a man posing as “Deepak Lee,” claiming to be a UK-based contact who found her profile on a matrimonial site. The scammer, using WhatsApp and email, built trust and told her he had sent her a gift parcel.
Singh was later contacted by a woman posing as a customs officer, who convinced her to make multiple bank transfers totaling over Rs 6.3 lakh for supposed customs clearance. When the parcel failed to arrive, Singh reported the matter to the Kotwali police, leading to the eventual arrest of the suspects in Delhi on October 17, 2020.
Police investigations confirmed the scam involved fake identities, forged documents, and the use of fake tracking links to deceive the victim. Prosecuting officer Anil Kumar confirmed the court’s decision on Monday.
This case adds to a growing list of Nigerian nationals arrested in India for crimes involving cyber fraud and drug trafficking. Just last week, report shows that four other Nigerians—Pepe Morepeyi, Gabriel Onyeka, Bamba Fanta, and Abigail Adonis are facing prosecution and possible deportation for related offenses.
Authorities in both countries have emphasized the need for greater international cooperation to combat transnational cybercrime.
