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Belgore’s
“son” swindles American N280m
tayo elebijo
senior correspondent
Man’s insatiable greed for
money has cost an America about N280 million in a scam deal with a man who
presented himself as one of the sons of respected Justice Babatunde Belgore.
Harry Odiawe had allegedly presented himself to the
American, Mr. George Blick in March 2003 as Mr. Abu Belgore with a promise to
pay him $20.5 million in contract fee if he supported a contract for the supply
of medical equipment to the Federal Ministry of Health.
Another man, Taye Owens, working with Mr.
“Belgore” was allegedly used to validate Belgore’s story,
claiming to work in the debt management office of the Ministry of Health.
Taken in by the mail soliciting his help on the
contract, Mr. Blick subsequently parted with $2 million.
Mr. Blick parted with all his life savings of $1.35
million and later dipped his hands into his company’s coffer to get the
additional $655,000 to bring total amount lost to over $2 million.
Unfortunately for Mr. Blick, auditors working on the
company’s account discovered the miss and unable to explain the
whereabouts of the money, he was rounded up by the United States Federal
prosecutors over the missing fund.
He was subsequently convicted and sentenced in September
2003.
Shortly before Mr. Blick’s conviction, Abu
Belgore had sensed that a prank was been played on him and had to quickly
introduced a new dimension since the $20.5 million promised him had not been
paid.
Mr. Blick, according to Economic and Financial Crime
Commission (EFCC) source had to petition the Presidency on his plight in the
hands of the scammers. The case
was later transferred to the EFCC.
During investigation, EFCC officials were said to
have discovered that Mr. Blick had paid out some of the money to Abu Belgore
from his bank, Bank of America in Virginia through swift code to DBS Bank in
Singapore. Other payments were
also made to the scammers in form of transfers to the J.P. Morgan Chase Bank,
New York and the Banker’s Trust also in New York.
Following investigation arising from Mr.
Blick’s petition, the EFCC in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), have traced the source of all e-mail messages sent by Abu
‘Belgore’ to Mr. Blick from Nigeria.
Infact, some of the messages have been received from
a computer at ‘Abu Belgore’s’ residence at the Omole Phase 1
Estate, Ogba, Lagos on August 6, 2004.
During the search on the premises, the GSM phone used
in calling Mr. Blick was recovered in addition to several computers, fax
machines and other documents which one EFCC source described as incriminating.
EFCC source said Harry Odiawe (Abu Belgore) has
confessed to impersonation, admitted ownership of the GSM phone as well as
asking money from his victim.
EFCC officials say the suspect would be arraigned
before a court in Lagos shortly.
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