An Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced 25-year-old Ayomide Ademiloye Ifeoluwa to 20 years’ imprisonment for fraud-related offences.
Justice Bamidele Omotoso delivered the judgment on May 5, 2026, after the convict pleaded guilty to a four-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and impersonation.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ademiloye obtained $700 through his Bybit and cash app wallets from one Teresa Hodder between 2025 and 2026, while posing as an American citizen named Charles Brandon on WhatsApp. He also obtained a $200 gift card from the same victim and attempted to defraud another victim, Shanon, using the same false identity.
The offences contravene Section 1(1)(b) and Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 391(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
At the arraignment, the charge was read and interpreted to the defendant, who pleaded guilty and confirmed that he entered into a plea bargain agreement voluntarily and without undue influence.
Prosecution counsel Y.K. Saidu called one witness and tendered evidence including the defendant’s extrajudicial statement, bank account statements, transaction receipts, a land sales agreement, and an iPhone 16 recovered during investigation. The defence counsel, M.A. Adebisi, did not cross-examine the witness.
The prosecution told the court that the convict had no record of previous conviction and had not made restitution. It prayed the court to forfeit the recovered iPhone 16 to the Federal Government for public auction, with proceeds returned to the victim.
In his judgment, Justice Omotoso sentenced Ademiloye to nine years’ imprisonment each on counts one and two, without an option of fine. On counts three and four, he was sentenced to one year imprisonment each, with an option of a ₦200,000 fine per count.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
