UK-based Nigerians sentenced for £429,304 telecom fraud
Three Nigerians and another individual residing in the United Kingdom have been sentenced to a total of 11 years in jail by the Portsmouth Crown Court for defrauding telecom giants Vodafone, EE, O2, and Carphone Warehouse of £429,304.
Oluwadamilola Bolaji, Taofeeq Balogun, Taiwo Agusto, and Carriba Johnson were found guilty of the offences after confessing in court. Their crimes came to light when a Hampshire resident reported to the police that four mobile phone accounts were opened in his name between February 14th and 19th, 2020, without his consent.
Contracts were taken out in various stores, including EE contracts in Fareham and Waterlooville Carphone Warehouse stores, and phones were obtained from O2 and Vodafone stores. Hampshire police contacted EE, revealing that the resident’s details had been manipulated for fraudulent activities.
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Operation Waterspout, initiated by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, investigated the Organised Crime Group involved in high-value commercial fraud. The fraudsters utilized stolen personal details from customers across England and Wales to acquire new phone contracts and expensive electronic devices like Apple Watches and iPads.
The sentences handed to them were as follows: Bolaji, 32, of Black Eagle Drive in Gravesend, Kent, admitted his involvement in the fraud conspiracy valued at £145,000, resulting in a jail term of six years and three months. Balogun, 30, of no fixed address in Basingstoke, admitted to a £25,000 fraud conspiracy and was jailed for three years. Agusto, 43, of Osbourne Road in Dartford, Kent, admitted to a £3,000 fraud conspiracy and received a sentence of one year and nine months. Johnson, 31, of Nelson Square in Southwark, London, admitted to a £2,500 fraud conspiracy and was given a suspended sentence of 24 months.
The investigation included a search of the group’s homes, resulting in the seizure of forged documents such as fake passports, bankcards, and driving licenses. These items were used in the fraud to obtain mobile phones and other devices, as well as for bank transactions. While 176 phone company customers had their details used for 602 fraud transactions, no financial loss was experienced.
DC Owain Davies from the Hampshire Police Economic Crime Team stated that these sentences would serve as a deterrent to others involved in fraudulent activities, emphasizing the thorough investigation conducted to bring the offenders to justice. He expressed hope that these results would send a clear message that such behavior will be fully investigated and punished.
