The Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of an internet fraudster, who impersonated American actor, Channing Tatum.
The convict, Christopher Simon, was arraigned before Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court Maitama in Abuja on a one-count charge that bordered on fraudulent impersonation.
According to a statement issued by the EFCC on Wednesday, the charge reads, “that you Christopher Simon, sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Court fraudulently impersonated Channing Tatum, a famous American actor, when you created an email account with his name with his name, used his photo as your profile picture and made use of the username ‘Channing Tatum’ while chatting with one ‘Mihaela’ and one ‘Bunnybear’ on the networking platform, Google Hangouts with intent to gain monetary advantage for yourself, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following his plea, Justice Maha convicted and sentenced Simon to one-year imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine.
The convict is also to depose to an affidavit of good behaviour while the proceeds of his crime are to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
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