An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 25-year-old internet fraudster, Ayomide Ademiloye Ifeoluwa, to 20 years imprisonment for offences bordering on impersonation and obtaining money under false pretences.
The convict, popularly known as a “Yahoo boy,” was sentenced by Justice Bamidele Omotosho after pleading guilty to a four-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC had arraigned Ifeoluwa on May 5, 2026, over allegations that he fraudulently obtained $700 from a victim identified as Teresa Hodder through his Bybit Cash App wallet account.
According to the prosecution, the convict deceived the victim by posing on WhatsApp as an American citizen identified as Charles Brandon.
The anti-graft agency also accused him of obtaining an additional $200 in gift cards from the same victim using the false identity.
In another count, the defendant was said to have impersonated the same fictitious American identity in his dealings with another victim identified simply as Shanon.
The prosecution stated that the offences contravened provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
During the proceedings, the amended charges were read to the defendant, who pleaded guilty to all counts.
Justice Omotosho subsequently confirmed from the convict that he voluntarily entered into the plea bargain agreement and admitted the allegations without coercion.
While presenting the case, EFCC counsel, Y.K. Saidu, called a witness and tendered several exhibits, including the convict’s extra-judicial statements, bank records, printed documents, transaction receipts, electronic gadgets, a land sale agreement and an iPhone 16 recovered during investigation.
The defence counsel, M.A. Adebisi, did not cross-examine the prosecution witness.
Saidu informed the court that the convict had no previous criminal record but noted that restitution had not been made to the victims.
He urged the court to order the forfeiture of the iPhone 16 to the Federal Government and requested that the device be sold through public auction, with proceeds returned to the victim.
In his judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment each on counts one and two without an option of fine.
The court also sentenced him to one year imprisonment each on counts three and four, with an option of N200,000 fine.
The judge ordered that all sentences should run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho further directed that the iPhone 16 recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government in line with the EFCC Establishment Act, adding that proceeds from its public auction should be restituted to the victim.
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