…suspects confesses to have made over N400m within four years
By Nkechi Eze
In a significant breakthrough, the Lagos state police command have arrested three masterminds allegedly involved in a sophisticated international cheque forgery and celebrity impersonation scam.
The suspects: Innocent Odumosor, 27, Ajie Samuel Chukwudi, 31, and Godwin Divine, 19, were arrested at their residence in Lagos after detectives attached to Anti-Corruption Unit, Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos received intelligence reports about their criminal activities with other members of the syndicate based abroad.
Innocent Odumosor, who is allegedly the leader of the syndicate, resides in a four-bedroom flat at Ocean Freeze Estate, Ologoro, Ikate, Lagos, while his alleged second-in-command, Ajie, lives at Star Times Estate, Ago Palace Way, Lagos.
During questioning, they provided detailed statements about their alleged involvement in impersonating well-known foreign celebrities and committing fraud against Bank of America, reportedly resulting in losses of millions of dollars.
The leader and second-in-command, allegedly stated they had each made approximately N400m since they started the fraudulent business in 2021.
The leader of the syndicate Innocent Odumosor, a graduate of the University of Cross Rivers State, while narrating how they carry out their operations stated that “we buy ‘tools’ which are softwares from xeet.com site, which we use in committing the crime.
“xeet.com works with the software of different foreign banks. We clone cashier cheques and contact other members of the syndicate overseas to source for foreign accounts where they can log in the cheques.
“The victim unknowingly cash the cheque and sends it to the account our syndicate will provide.
According to Innocent, the victims are randomly chosen and engaged in long chats before we strike. We normally load the account, and the victim will be chatting with any member of the syndicate resident abroad.” He said.
Police investigation uncovered that after they received proceeds of their latest exploits on March 28th, 2025, Innocent, the leader acquired a Mercedes 223 GLE valued at N250m while his second in command also bought Mercedez GLE 221 worth N150m. Share of the third suspect is said to still be cooling off in his bank in Nigeria.
Innocent said that he graduated in 2019 and started internet fraud in 2021.
According to him, “I learned how to do it through online and websites like: ceet.PW and Monove.com.
“I specialize in loading of foreign bank accounts by buying loading tools from different websites such as olux.to, monove.com, and cheap.com at different prizes ranging from $10 to $100.
“I get different foreign bank accounts from other members of the syndicate and I load money into the account. The foreign banks are mostly in USA.
“We share proceeds of our loot 50/50. The latest transaction I had with Ajie was that of $350,000 cash cheques from Bank of America and the beneficiary is Babara Franks.
“I got $150,000 as part of my share using my Access bank and it came to be N230m. I used part of it to buy Mercedes GLE worth N120m and used the remaining to take care of myself, my family, and my music career.
“I use my I-Phone 16 Promax and Laptop to do the deals. I pay N10m for my four bedroom flat at Ocean Based Estate at Ikate.” He said.
Ajie Samuel aka Pappy, the second in command, a native of Delta State and a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Cross Rivers University said he got $50,000 from their deal stating that he was a middle man during negotiations.
It was gathered that detectives are collaborating with the International police with a view to rounding up other members of the criminal syndicate based abroad and that they have already confiscated international passports of the suspects. They are also said to be beaming their searchlight on all the banks connected with the activities of the suspects with a view to ascertaining if there is internal connivance or not.
Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Adegoke Fayoade, confirmed the arrest of the suspects, adding that investigations are ongoing.
