Banker, Wife In EFCC Net For Allegedly Laundering N377m For FBI Fraud Suspect

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a couple, Rowly Isioro, a former Assistant General Manager with one of the first generation banks and his wife Ovuomarhoni Naomi Isioro for allegedly laundering N377 million for an alleged fraudster wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The couple, were specifically picked up for their alleged involvement in Business Email Compromise (BEC) and money laundering.

They were alleged to have laundered the total sum of one million and forty-nine  thousand Dollars ($1.49m) which was allegedly transferred to Ovuomarhoni Naomi’s bank account in Nigeria by her contract in United states of America, Michael Uziewe.

The Commission nabbed the banker and wife as part of its investigation into a petition received from the FBI through the office of their Legal Attache, United States Consulate Victoria Island Lagos, about their alleged involvement in computer related fraud, stealing and money laundering.

According to an EFCC operatives, who did not want his name mentioned, investigation revealed that the said sum was transferred into Isioro Ovuomarhoni Naomi’s bank account in Nigeria.

Read Also: FBI Investigation: Court Remands Fraud Syndicates’ Head In Prison

It was further gathered that Naomi met Uziewe, who is still at large, in Atlanta Georgia United States of America sometimes in 2016, who allegedly introduced her into the foreign exchange scam.

The source said Naomi had since confessed that she and her husband operates two firms namely: Marhoni General Services Limited and Multaid Plus Limited through which they received money from the American based Uziewe, who allegedly owns  Global Investment network.

She was also alleged to have confirmed to the operatives that  she has been receiving dollars with instructions to pay the naira equivalent into accounts provided by the said America based fraud suspect.

The operative also claimed that the anti-graft agency have evidence that each time Naomi receive the dollars, she makes over the counter withdrawals disregarding the requisite due process which demands that such transactions should go through the regular bank transfer system and sell them to Bureau de Change operators  for naira equivalents.

The source further alleged that her husband, Rowly Isioro, a banker with over 22 years of experience also confessed that he was aware that someone his wife met in United States of America used to send her dollars.

The banker was also alleged to have said that his wife disburses the naira equivalent to various accounts on the  instruction of the person in America.

It was also learnt that Rowly was relieved of his appointment with the bank as a result of his involvement and complicity in the money laundering fraud

According to the anti-graft agency the couple have been charged to court and would be arraigned soon.

10th December 2024
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