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Owner Of Nigerian Club, De Rock Arraigned For Defrauding U.S. Government Of N32Million Covid-19 Funds After Stealing Identities Of Americans

Owner Of Nigerian Club, De Rock Arraigned For Defrauding U.S. Government Of N32Million Covid-19 Funds After Stealing Identities Of Americans
March 29, 2023

He was arraigned before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday arraigned the owner of De Rock Club in Ibadan, Adepoju Olawale Sunday better known as SSG.

He was arraigned before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Adepoju was arraigned on two separate charges – for his alleged involvement in cybercrime and obtaining money under false pretence. The amount is N31,821,000.00 (Thirty-one million, eight hundred and twenty-one thousand naira).

This was made known in a statement issued by the agency on Wednesday, noting that Adepoju, 36, defrauded the American government and unsuspecting American citizens of thousands of dollars during the COVID–19 pandemic

The statement reads in part, "The EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, arraigned the owner of Ibadan-based Club, De Rock Club, Adepoju Olawale Sunday alias SSG before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State on two separate charges for his alleged involvement in cybercrime, and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N31,821,000.00 (Thirty-One Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty-One Thousand Naira).

"The first charge, containing eight counts, bordering on identity theft, obtaining COVID–19 and unemployment benefits from the United States of America Government, while the other 19-count charge is premised on transfer of proceeds of crime to one Owoade Emmanuel David.

"Investigations revealed that Adepoju, 36, who claimed to be a graduate of Industrial Chemistry of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Osun State had, during the COVID–19 pandemic swindled American government and unsuspecting American citizens thousands of dollars.

"He allegedly stole the identities of the American citizens eligible for the tax refund programme across the U.S. and filed the stolen information to claim the benefits.”

"Investigations also showed that Adepoju through the US Small Business Administration (SBA), a programme established in New York City during Covid-19 to help Americans build resilient businesses, stole personal identifying information of American citizens which he deployed in filing false benefits claims," the statement added.


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CRIME