Nigerian arrested for Rs 1 crore fraud

NEW DELHI: A Nigerian national, Ikehua Collins (36), has been arrested for allegedly duping a retired army officer of Rs 1 crore.
According to the police, the victim, a Dwarka resident, received an email from one Monique Yolande Bhisikwabo in May. She said her husband, a minister in Congo, had been killed by rebels. She added that the minister had deposited the family's assets, worth millions of dollars, with a security company at Abidjan and she wanted the same to be sent to India.
"Monique requested help and promised the victim 15% in commission.He was told that a representative of Global Security Company would deliver the box of valuables to him and that he was to pay Rs 2.5 lakh to that person," said joint commissioner of police (crime) Amulya Patnaik.
On May 29, the complainant got a call from one Peter, who asked him to pay Rs 5.8 lakh towards customs clearance charges. The victim paid the same.
Meanwhile, Monique sent word that one Chiddo Jude would assist him and Peter. On May 31, the victim gave Rs 2.5 lakh to the two and the box containing the valuables was taken to a hotel where Jude was staying. "The room was dark. Jude opened the box and took out a bottle containing some chemical and a wad of black paper. He poured the chemical in a tray, put some paper in it and soon, the colour washed off, leaving behind new dollar notes," Patnaik said.
The complainant was asked to pay Peter $ 10,000 and Collins $ 30,000 as service charges. He was told that chemical to clean the "black dollars" had been "deactivated" and the bottle needed to be "reactivated". "They told the officer not to open the box as exposure to light and air could spoil the dollars. Two days later, Peter called to say the chemicals to reactivate the old bottle would cost $ 75,000 and a new bottle would cost $ 1.35 lakh," said DCP (crime and railways) Neeraj Thakur. Following this, the officer paid them Rs 42 lakh.
After a week, Peter told the victim that the old chemical was not strong enough and a new bottle had to be bought. The armyman mortgaged his land in west Delhi and paid Rs 32 lakh. Another Rs 13 lakh was paid by the officer for "transporting" the bottle from Abdijan.
However, he became suspicious when in August, he broke open the box only to find wads of white paper. The victim approached the police on August 20. A trap was laid in Vasant Vihar and Collins was apprehended on Thursday. A bag full of black paper, white paper, some wads with fake dollars on each side and a briefcase was recovered.