Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kaduna Zonal Command, has arraigned one Sunday Simon, also known as Ryan Eggold, before Justice A.A Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna, for defrauding an American, Garri Kalish, the sum of $800.
Simon was said to have been arrested by the EFCC at Agwa, Trikania in Kaduna, during a sting operation.
It was gathered that during the investigations, his mobile phone was analysed and it revealed different fake Instagram accounts and Facebook accounts where he presented himself as an American actor, Ryan Eggold, in his chats with unsuspecting women.
Simon was therefore arraigned on two-count charges bordering on cybercrime. One of the counts read, “That you, Sunday Simon (a.k.a Ryan Eggold, male, sometime in April 2023 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of $800 (eight hundred United States dollars) from one Garri Kalish, a citizen of the United States of America under the pretence of being into a romantic relationship, a pretence you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the two charges.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel K. Ogunlade prayed the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.
