Nigerian fraudster swindled $300,000 from retired doctor
A retired doctor had just bought a million-dollar property when a Nigerian conwoman fleeced him of $300,000 via a sophisticated email banking scam. Yet she dodged jail despite most of the stolen cash not being recovered.
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A Nigerian fraudster fleeced $300,000 from a retired doctor via a sophisticated email/banking scheme linked to a million dollar property deal.
Chinasa Isagbah, 23, was sentenced in the County Court to an 18-month community correction order after pleading guilty to negligently dealing with proceeds of crime.
Isagbah was on a student visa when her victim’s cash was funnelled into accounts opened with her Nigerian passport in January 2018.
The doctor was targeted after he purchased a $960,000 property in New South Wales in December 2017.
He was duped with bogus emails purporting to be from a third-party engaged to handle settlement payments in January 2018.
The victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was fooled into transferring payments to the bogus accounts after he was told the actual account was being “audited”.
He coughed up $100,000 per day for three days before the bank told him he was being scammed.
Isagbah’s account was frozen, and $94,983.41 was returned to the doctor.
The remaining $200,000 has not been recovered.
Isagbah was arrested and interviewed in February 2018.
Police analysed Isagbah’s phone and discovered conversations she and a mystery person known as “Kalu” had about the fraud, and other “potential frauds”.
Isagbah claimed “family friend” Kalu asked her to put the money in her account.
Kalu then told Isagbah to transfer the cash to China, India and Uruguay, the court heard.
Isagbah said she was allowed to keep some money for school fees
Isagbah’s defence counsel submitted her husband – who had a taste for “luxury items” — pressured her to purchase goods including bicycles and clothing.
It was also submitted Isagbah did not tell police about her husband because she was afraid she would be divorced.
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Judge Gabriele Cannon said she had “difficulty” accepting these submissions
“It was such a high risk that the money will be used as an instrument of crime that your conduct is deserving of a criminal punishment,” Judge Cannon said.
“I must say that the idea that Kalu said you could spend a third-party’s money on yourself or school fees without you being more knowingly involved in this scam borders on nonsensical.”
Judge Cannon took into account Isagbah’s early guilty plea, her youth and her remorse when sentencing.
“Your culpability is at the level of criminal negligence rather than behaving or recklessly,” Judge Cannon said.
Isagbah was served the community corrections order without conviction.