Man bags one year in prison for $240,000 romance scam

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Thursday sentenced one Moses Igweneme to one-year imprisonment for his involvement in $240,000 romance scam, conspiracy and money laundering.

The convict was said to have swindled his victim, one Chantai Meadery, in February 2018 through a dating app with the promise to build a future together in Switzerland.

The defendant initially pleaded not guilty but at the resumption of hearing on Thursday, he changed his plea to guilty, prompting the prosecuting counsel, T.M. Iko, to call one witness to review the fact of the case and tendered exhibits.

Iko urged the court to convict the defendant as charged and order the restitution of the total sum of $240,000 to the victim (Chantai Meadery).

Ruling on the matter, Justice A.T. Mohammed of Federal High, Port Harcourt, convicted and sentenced Igweneme to one-year imprisonment.

Justice Mohammed consequently ordered total restitution of the sum of $240,000 to the victim.

Our correspondent gathered that the defendant had so far returned the sum of $100,000 out of the $240,000 received from his victim.

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