Nigerian footballer, two others arrested in India for online fraud

The Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police have arrested three suspected fraudsters including a Nigerian professional footballer, for duping an NGO worker and other people on the pretext of sending them gifts.

The arrested persons are Nonso Chife Kelvin, 40, residing in New Delhi, Mohd Sirajuddeen Raein and Subhash Singh, both from Delhi. Three key accused including a Nigerian national are still absconding. 

The accused were arrested on Monday, November 2, following a complaint made by the NGO worker who was duped of Rs 16 lakh through gift parcel fraud.

According to the police, on October 12, Sailaja, director of an NGO, involved in training women in teaching computer courses, lodged a complaint with cyber crime team of Cyberabad alleging that on September 28, she received a friend request on Facebook from James Donold of Germany. Introducing himself as a Berlin-based doctor, James appreciated Sailaja’s work and they soon started chatting on WhatsApp.

On September 30, he sent a photo of a bag to Sailaja saying that it was a gift parcel and that the package was at IGI Airport in Delhi.

The next day, the woman received a call from another accused who pretended to be customs officer and he informed her that in order to avail of the gift she has to make a payment of Rs 16 lakh towards registration fees, insurance, legal charges, price conversion charges etc. Believing the person the woman made the payment, said G Venkateshwarlu, Inspector of CCS.

After the victim made the payment the accused gang absconded, so she got suspicious of the fraud and filed a complaint.

“Based on the complaint, an investigation was carried out and the three accused persons were arrested from Delhi and brought to the city on prisoner transit warrant and were booked under Sections 417, 419, 420 of IPC and section 66 (C&D) of IT Act and were remanded to judicial custody.” said Venkateshwarlu.

During interrogation, Nonso told police that he and the other accused have been working for VIP alias Ejike of Nigeria for a commission.