An investigation into a visa scam involving N19.9 million has been initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Directorate, against Osogu Christian Ogbonna, who is accused of being a serial fraudster.
The EFCC has issued a statement saying that they are investigating a suspect who reportedly took money from victims while pretending to assist them with processing their travel documents so that they could go overseas.
The Commission states that Osmond Chukwuebuka Ugwu, Ugwu Chidubem, and Amadiani Gilbert Chinedu were among the petitioners who accused Ogbonna of committing fraud against them in various schemes.
According to Ugwu’s plea, he crossed paths with the suspect in 2018 while making preparations to leave abroad. He claimed that Ogbonna had approached him pretending to be a visa agent and offered to fund his trip to the US for N1.8 million (not including airfare).
According to the petitioner, he paid the suspect a total of N11.8 million, with an initial payment of N4 million and subsequent installments of N1.2 million.
Ugwu stated that he crossed paths with the accused in 2018 as the latter was arranging for an international trip. According to reports, the suspect pretended to be a visa agency and offered the victim a Red Cross-sponsored visa to the US for N1.8 million (not including the cost of the plane trip). The arrangement apparently cost Ugwu N4 million. The petitioner claimed to have paid a total of N11.8 million, with additional payments following, according to the document.
According to the second petitioner, Chidubem, the suspect conspired with a buddy to swindle him out of N5.9 million by claiming to have authentic documents that would allow him to progress in his football career overseas.
“According to another petitioner, Chidubem, the suspect and a friend allegedly conspired to steal N5.9 million from him after promising to get him real documents so he could continue his football career overseas,” the statement continued.
Chinedu asserted in a different petition that Ogbonna demanded N2.2 million from him in exchange for the promise of a work visa and the ability to move to Australia.
“In his own petition, Chinedu claimed that the suspect conned him out of N2.2 million to get a work visa and the visa that went along with it so he could go to Australia,” the statement continued.
The EFCC’s preliminary investigation revealed that the 44-year-old electrical engineer was helping individuals apply for visas to other countries while pretending to be a visa processing agent.
His lack of a valid travel agent licence was also uncovered over the course of the investigation.
As soon as investigations are complete, the commission stated the suspect would face charges in court.