by Michelle
Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:13 am
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... man_jailed
Craigslist conman jailed
Mike Slingsby
February 28, 2009
A STUDENT who operated a multi-million pound international internet fraud from a flat in Salford has been jailed.
Sunday Asekomhe, 26, was part of a gang of Nigerian conmen who used classified ads on the Craigslist website to target victims in the United States.
The fraudsters answered adverts and then used forged paperwork to swindle advertisers out of thousands of dollars each.
Officers with the Serious Organised Crime Agency were not able to discover the number of victims but believe the gang may have got away with millions of pounds.
The scam was exposed when officers raided Asekomhe's flat in Velour Close, Salford, and found forged paperwork, computers and a typewriter.
Detectives examined the typewriter ribbon and could see the imprinted names, addresses and other details of victims.
Asekomhe, who was studying at Bolton University, admitted conspiracy to defraud and was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court.
Scam
Judge Anthony Hammond recommended that Asekomhe, who came to Britain when he was 23, should be deported to Nigeria when he has finished his jail term.
Officials admitted they had no idea of the true extent of the scam. A SOCA investigator said: "To find every victim across America would have taken dozens of officers and several years work.
"We did identify a few people who were conned into handing over money but they were the tip of the iceberg and the total amount of money involved could run into millions."
Judge Hammond said: "I am satisfied a large number of victims were defrauded and the amount which may have been realised is probably well into seven figures."
Paul Mitchell, prosecuting, said potential victims were identified after they advertised homes for rent in the US on Craigslist - a classified advertising website. They would then be sent emails by gang members, and a fee for a deposit and initial rent payment would be agreed.
But the victim would get a forged cheque made out for thousands of dollars more than the agreed figure. They would then be contacted again, told a 'mistake' had been made and asked to send the overpayment back to Britain through Western Union.
When officers raided Asekomhe's flat they found 370 forged blank cashier cheques. Three computers used in the fraud were found and instructions sent by some of the gang to other members. The other gang members have not been caught.
