Two fraudsters were arrested in Lagos for forging foreign certificates and defrauding victims online. The suspects offered a N66 million bribe to the police, which was rejected. They were involved in online romance scams and fake academic documents. Police are investigating their foreign accomplices through Interpol and the Ghanaian embassy.
The Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos has arrested two men, Elvis, 23, and Kelly, 24, suspected of being involved in an international fraud scheme centered around forging foreign certificates. The suspects, who operated between Lagos and Ghana, were reportedly using these fake documents to defraud individuals online. They were apprehended after a tip-off from Nigerians abroad, alerting authorities about a group specializing in these fraudulent activities.
Upon arrest, the two suspects tried to bribe police officers with N66 million, a sum that was promptly rejected. This follows a similar incident in November when a suspect offered N174 million in an attempt to buy freedom. Despite the bribe, the police continued their investigation and seized documents linking the suspects to fraudulent activities, including certificates from Blue Crest College, Ghana, and Academic City College. These certificates were obtained under pretenses, with the suspects admitting they had never attended these institutions but had purchased the documents to secure residency permits in Ghana.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects were also involved in online romance scams, where they impersonated a U.S. soldier on Instagram to deceive victims. As part of their scheme, they were also involved in facilitating fraudulent transactions by providing fake foreign bank accounts.
The police have reached out to the Ghanaian embassy and Interpol to investigate the suspects’ foreign connections. Authorities are working to track down their accomplices in Ghana and beyond.
