US- The Federal Bureau of Investigation has extradited suspected Nigerian fraudster Christopher Agbaje from the United Kingdom for scamming a U.S. law firm of almost $200,000, Peoples Gazette has learnt.
Mr Agbaje, who appeared and was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota on February 12, will be standing trial for three charges including wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, the FBI stated.
The indictment alleged that Mr Agbaje between November and December 2020 posed as a business owner to defraud a Bismarck, North Dakota company of $198,336.68 and made a false agreement acting as their client.
“Individuals falsely purported to be a business owner in a legal dispute with a Bismarck, North Dakota company and entered into a fictitious attorney-client relationship with this law firm,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Monday. “Individuals made false statements and promises, upon which the law firm relied on their determinant.”
After the agreement was made, the law firm received a Citibank cheque payable to it in the sum of $198,850. The so-called business owner asked the law firm to transfer the funds to Mr Agbaje.
“A short time later, Christopher Agbaje directed his business partner to fraudulently initiate a $180,000.00 international wire transfer with the intent to conceal the location, ownership, and control of the law firm’s money.”
The FBI is running to prosecute Mr Agbaje and those involved in the fraud scheme.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Clare R. Hochhalter ordered that Mr Agbaje be detained until April 9, when his trial is scheduled to commence.
