A court has sentenced a fraudster to five years in jail for perpetrating a $1.6 million cryptocurrency fraud.


 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission successfully prosecuted and secured the conviction of Benjamin Ikaa before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

 He received a five-year prison sentence for his involvement in a $1.6 million cryptocurrency fraud. The conviction was disclosed in a statement shared on the commission's Facebook page on Thursday.

Ikaa pleaded guilty to a one-count charge, and the prosecuting counsel, Aso Larrys Peter, urged the court to convict him. The defense counsel, Abel Adaji, appealed for leniency, emphasizing the convict's remorsefulness and status as a first-time offender.

Justice Nwite sentenced Ikaa to five years imprisonment with a fine option of N5,000,000. Additionally, Ikaa forfeited an iPhone 13 and a 2013 Toyota Avalon to the Federal government. 

The $11,000 recovered from him will be returned to his victims. Ikaa also committed to abstain from cybercrime in the future.

His involvement in the fraudulent scheme, operating a fictitious cryptocurrency investment website, led to the loss of 26 bitcoins by unsuspecting victims as of February.

In 2023, the victims of his fraudulent activities hail from South Africa, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Barbados. When confronted with the evidence of his deceitful dealings, he readily admitted to them.

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