A female social media influencer, Adedamola Adewale, popularly known as @adeherself on social media, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged Internet fraud.
Adewale was arrested alongside one Lamina Ajibola in a four-bedroom duplex in the Agungi area of Lagos State. The apartment is said to belong to two brothers, Adeleke and Adeniyi Lasisi, who are at large.
The EFCC, in a series of tweets on Tuesday, alleged that Adewale confessed to being a picker (courier) for Internet fraudsters.
The anti-graft agency also arrested Israel Onyebuchi, Emmanuel Olayode and Valentine Nwokorie in the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state for their alleged involvement in a romance scam.
It was gathered that Nwokorie posed as a female American citizen to defraud his victim, while Onyebuchi allegedly forged foreign cheques to defraud his victims.
The agency tweeted, “The EFCC Lagos Zonal Office has arrested five alleged internet fraudsters, including one Adedamola Adewale, a self-acclaimed social media influencer, for their alleged involvement in internet-related fraud.
“The five suspects were apprehended in different areas of Lagos during a raid by operatives. While Adewale, 20, and his accomplice, Lamina Hamzat Ajibola, were arrested at the Agungi area of Lekki, Lagos State, the trio of Israel Onyebuchi, Emmanuel Olayode and Valentine Nwokorie were picked up at the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
“The arrest of Adewale and Ajibola was a sequel to intelligence linking them to online fraudulent activities with two brothers, Lasisi Wasiu Adeleke and Lasisi Riliwan Adeniyi, who are at large. Intelligence also linked them with alleged flamboyant lifestyles.
“During interrogation, Adewale, a self-acclaimed model, who goes by the username @adeherself on Instagram, confessed to being a picker in cybercrimes.”
According to the EFCC, two Toyota Camry 2009 model cars and the sum of N9m found in Adewale’s account were seized.
The agency added that the suspects would be charged upon the completion of an investigation, adding that laptops and mobile phones were recovered from Nwokorie and his accomplices.
