The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters, Yusuf Ramon and Ganiyu Ibrahim, who were among those arrested during a sting operation at a hotel within the precincts of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The duo, arraigned on separate one-count charges by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), were accused of impersonation and internet-related offences.
According to the EFCC, Ramon was found guilty of posing as “Anna Marry,” a white woman on Instagram, through the handle @mariebarbelon, with intent to defraud. Ibrahim, on the other hand, fraudulently represented himself as “Elena Pears,” a White American female, through a Facebook account connected to his iPhone 13, which he used to deceive a victim identified as Brad.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. Prosecution counsel, S.M. Yabo, presented evidence including their extra-judicial statements, mobile devices, forensic investigation reports, and a N200,000 bank draft made by Ibrahim in restitution. These were admitted as exhibits by the court.
Justice D.I. Dipeolu, after considering their guilty pleas and the evidence presented, sentenced Ramon to one month imprisonment from the date of his arrest, with an option of a N200,000 fine. His iPhone devices were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
Ibrahim was likewise sentenced to one month imprisonment, with the option of a N200,000 fine. He admitted benefiting $150 from his fraudulent activities. The court ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 13 and the N200,000 draft to the Federal Government.
The judge noted the pleas for leniency by their defence counsel, who argued that the convicts were first-time offenders who had shown remorse, but held that the punishment was necessary as a deterrent.
The EFCC had earlier arrested 93 suspected fraudsters during the sting operation at the Abeokuta hotel on Sunday, August 10, 2025, as part of its crackdown on cybercrime.
