A self-proclaimed spiritualist, Odeyemi Oluwaseun, has been sentenced to one year imprisonment for defrauding unsuspecting victims online by impersonating an American-based female spiritualist. The 23-year-old fraudster was convicted by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday.
Oluwaseun, who hails from Oyo State, was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of internet fraud, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretenses.
According to EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, Oluwaseun duped his victims by claiming to possess mystical powers to help women regain the love of their estranged partners. Using fake personas, he lured them into sending thousands of dollars worth of gift cards.
The Charges:
- The first charge stated that in December 2023, Oluwaseun deceived a victim, identified as Bose, into sending $3,200 in gift cards. He promised to use the funds to magically restore her ex-husband’s affection, posing as a spiritualist named “Lord Hill” via the email address hillor674@gmail.com.
- The second charge revealed that between August and September 2023, he induced another victim, Schneider Alina, to send $4,500 in gift cards. Oluwaseun operated under the Instagram handle @_Visions_by_Tendo_12 and claimed he could help her win back her ex-boyfriend.
Both offenses contravene Section 321 of the Penal Code and are punishable under Section 324.
When the charges were read, Oluwaseun pleaded guilty. The prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola, presented evidence, including the convict’s confessional statements and items recovered from him, such as $1,000, an iPhone 15, and a 2008 Toyota Camry.
Justice Abdulgafar, satisfied with the evidence, sentenced Oluwaseun to six months’ imprisonment for each count, to run concurrently. However, the sentence was suspended, and the recovered assets were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.