The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the operator of McHarvey Capital Limited, Benjamin Ikaa, Chidera Jonas and Ikaa Benjamin before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Trial judge in the matter is Justice Emeka Nwite.
The three are facing four-count charges of obtaining by false pretence and money laundering in a crypto-currency investment fraud to the tune of $1,621,352.
One of the charges reads: “That you Benjamin Ikaa (alias George; Gavrilovich; P.Aleksandra and Aaron Griffin), Chidera Jonas (at large) and Ikaa Benjamin (at large) on or about December 20, 2022, at Ugbowa, Abakpa Nike, Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of this court with intent to defraud, did send electronic messages which materially misrepresent facts in your website www.mcharveycapital.com about crypto currency investment to one Monica Garcia upon which she relied and suffered financial loss in the sum of $1,501, 352, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc.) Act 2015.”
Ikaa, being the only defendant in court pleaded not guilty to the charges, when they were read to him.
Thereafter, prosecution counsel, Bamidele Akanmode asked for a trial date, and requested that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody, pending the striking of a plea deal with him, while the defence counsel, Adachi Abel, prayed for a short adjournment time.
Justice Nwite remanded the defendant in Kuje prison, and adjourned the matter till December 13, 2023.
The three defendants, Benjamin Ikaa, Chidera Jonas and Ikaa Benjamin allegedly defrauded their unsuspecting victims by promising them mouth-watering daily returns in crypto-currency investment on social media platforms.
