EFCC has released an article detailing the alleged criminal
activities of flamboyant social media big boy, Ismaila Mustapha and his
accomplice, Hamza Koudeih, a Lebanese national.
In the article, the
antigraft agency expressed shock over how Mompha could successfully operate 51
Fraudulent bank accounts despite the Bank Verification Number (BVN), introduced
by the Central Bank of Nigeria in February, 2014 which is meant to checkmate all
acts of fraud in the banking sector.
He is a Lebanese, resident in Lagos and steeped in money.
From his $1.3million residence in Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower to his high-end
automobiles, Hamza Koudeih oozes money-all of which he made doing nothing in
the country but money laundering- which the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) says he has done to the tune of $19million.
Those who have followed the unraveling of a Lebanese man,
Hamza Koudeih by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), would
readily agree that it is misleading to judge a book by its cover. He is
unassuming, comes off innocuous, and given to sedentary lifestyle.
In the swank 33-flight Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower, where he
nestles with his young wife, he chose the fourth floor. This is to earn him
some distance, even from his equally upscale neighbours.
Within the vicinity of this Victoria Island, Lagos high-end
real estate, Koudeih ensures that no more than a moderate whiff of wealth and
affluence trail his path. This is to belie his ill-gotten wealth and the fact
that he dwells in $1.3million worth of residence.
To a few who know him, he is no more than a boardroom
technocrat, who pulls the stops in THK Services Limited and CHK properties
Limited. But the Koudeih whom many more do not know is a façade, an edifice of
fraud; evil genius, a wise guy-a man much more than whom and what people think
he is.
He amassed obscene wealth, doing nothing over the years in
Nigeria barring crimes and criminalities, having fashioned a trans-Atlantic
money laundering network.
Within the local scene, he has high net worth allies that
includes social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha popularly known as (Mompha),
whom the Commission picked up on Friday, 18 October, 2019 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja, while he was on his way to Dubai, United Arab
Emirate. Mompha’s arrest laid the path to that of Koudeih.
Investigations by the EFCC established that while Mompha,
who camouflages as a bureau de change operator has used his firm-Ismalob Global
Investments Limited-to launder about N14 billion, Koudeih through his THK
Services Limited and CHK properties Limited has laundered about N19 billion.
Evidently, the two are kingpins in a criminal web of cyber criminals who
through the three firms, laundered a jaw-dropping N33 billion.
Before the ring was busted, both men had featured on EFCC
and United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) radar as a high valued
targets in Organised Cyber Syndicate Network (OCSN) and particularly as honchos
in a trans-national network of cyber criminals. These according to head, EFCC
Cyber crime Unit (name withheld) were established by Intel, gathered by the
EFCC and the FBI in their recent joint operation, tagged, “Operation Rewired.”
Worrisome is that Mompha was able to successfully operate 51
fraudulent bank accounts, through which the monies were laundered even with the
enhanced account tracking and surveillance which the Bank Verification Number
(BVN), introduced by the Central Bank of Nigerian in February, 2014 provides.
Koudeih was not an easy picking for the EFCC. Armed with
precision Intel, additionally gathered by the EFCC, its operatives tracked him
to his lair in Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower and placed the piece of the real
estate, where he has his apartment on a lockdown.
Koudeih’s world of crime is heavily reinforced with a string
of top-notch security architecture that inures and shields him.
Aside surveillance cameras and closed-circuit television
(CCTV), that capture anyone that comes within range, his apartment is secured
three times over with a triple reinforced fire-proof door, designed to
withstand violent breaches, including bullet shots.
Apparently convinced that the EFCC was on wild goose chase
for him, Koudeih and his wife refused to yield to all appeals by the operatives
to open their maximum security door and let them in, so also the additional
entreaties that later came from the tower’s chief security officer.
The pin drop silence that greeted the appeals of EFCC
operatives was a dummy to mask their presence inside the apartment, but way
down to the ground, Koudeih’s high-end cars, parked in his garage were enough
to tell the operatives that he was in.
The lack of cooperation from the Lebanese as well as that
from the owners and administrators of Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower left the EFCC
with two options-beat a retreat or muscle through. It settled for the latter,
reinforcing with men and breaching tools against the armoured door.
The operatives relentlessly deployed the tools against the
door, expending more than three gruelling hours before they overcame.
“It was very difficult to gain entry. It was almost like a
standoff. We had to send for reinforcement of officers and breaching tools from
the office. We had to breach the triple reinforced fire-proof door before we
could get in,” head Cyber crime, EFCC, said.
Inside the apartment, the décor, furniture and fittings
speak of Koudeih’s high taste that would leave any Arabian prince green with
envy. But puzzling is the hideaway between the ceiling and the deck in his
bedroom. It provides no comfy, just enough to host and shield anyone while a
search lasts.
The wife who was persuaded that her husband was safe and
without traces above the ceiling told the prying EFCC operatives that the man
they seek has escaped through the window. It was a tale that didn’t
stick-escaping through the window from that height with bare hands is stuff
only for the fairytale Spiderman. The EFCC operatives were, therefore certain
that Koudeih was available and within reach, but puzzled by the fact that he
was nowhere to be found, even with the entire apartment having been turned
inside-out, exposing a cache of voodoo objects, that was carefully tucked away.
A slight misalignment in the well manicured ceiling in the
bedroom was the lead that unraveled the Lebanese. “We saw from the ceiling, how
he climbed and followed it and helped him down. He had time to breach the
ceiling and climbed because of the some much time we spent trying to get into
his apartment. His apartment has cameras and CCT, so he saw us and knew we were
from the EFCC,” head Cyber crime, EFCC, said.
Taken away were his laptop computer and telephone handset,
which is currently undergoing forensic check up in the anti-corruption agency.
More good news is that his ring of trans-national cyber crime network had been
busted and he will have his day in court.
Reacting to arrest, the Acting Chairman of the Commission,
Ibrahim Magu, said Koudeih and Mompha’s arrests are landmark achievements for
the EFCC in its fight against cyber crimes and a “red alert to potential
fraudsters.
Speaking in an interactive session with anti-corruption
stakeholders at the Lagos Zonal Office of the Commission on Thursday, October
31, 2019, he said,“The recent arrests of a social media celebrity, Ismaila
Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, and his Lebanese collaborator, Hamza
Koudeih, for their alleged involvement in internet-related fraud and money
laundering remain a landmark achievement of the EFCC.
“I make bold to tell you that these arrests have further
confirmed our commitment to the anti-graft war, while also sending a red alert
to potential internet fraudsters.
“I am sure you will be greatly shocked to know that five
wristwatches valued at over N60million were recovered from the suspected
internet fraudster, Mompha, at the point of arrest.
“Investigation has also revealed that he operates 51 bank
accounts in Nigeria with which he acquired properties in Dubai and had
laundered about N14billion through a firm known as Ismalob Global Investments
Limited. His accomplice, Koudeih, also has two firms namely: THK Services
Limited and CHK properties Limited with which he has allegedly laundered about
N19billion.
Magu emphasized the fact that the Commission, prior to the
arrests of both Mompha and Koudeih, had independently launched intensive
investigative actions against the Internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo
Yahoo Boys, culminating in various strategic raids on their hideouts.
He further stated that the Commission had embarked on the
raids even before the recently concluded collaborative operation with the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, tagged Operation Rewired- an
international operation targeted at the Business Email Compromise, BEC,
suspects across the world.
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