By Jeffrey Damicog
A Nigerian national and his Filipina cohort were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for threatening to spread his fiancé’s nude photos unless he gets paid.
NBI deputy spokesperson Auralyn Pascual identified the arrested suspects as Nigerian Innocent Uchenna Nkwoka and Jackie Pascual.
National Bureau of Investigation Pascual presents Nigerian national Innocent Uchenna Nkwoka and his Filipina companion Irene Lee after they were arrested in Las Piñas City on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, over alleged swindling and robbery-extortion. (JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The two were arrested by operatives of the NBI’s Special Operations Group (NBI-SOG) in Las Pinas last Jan. 17 based on the complaint of a woman.
The suspects have been charged with swindling and robbery extortion in relation with the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and for violating the Anti Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009.
The complainant recounted that she came to know the Nigerian through the social media dating site Tinder where he identified himself as American Steve Edward, a chemical engineer based in Alaska.
The Nigerian who claimed also to be a divorcee with one child managed to make the victim agree with his marriage proposal.
The victim managed to send a total of P50,026 after being convinced by the Nigerian to pay for the processing of her US fiancé visa application.
The complainant said last Dec.5 she and her family went to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 after being told by the Nigerian he was coming to the Philippines.
However, the Nigerian did not arrive and, instead, the complainant received a call from someone claiming to be from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) who informed her that he got held at the Cebu airport for carrying $800,000.
The victim was then asked to send P25,000 through Palawan Express Padala for his release.
However, the complainant refused to heed the caller as she sensed she was already being duped.
Afterwards, the complainant received a message from the Nigerian who threatened to spread her nude photos if she fails to send the money.
After filing a complaint with the NBI, NBI operatives arrested Jackie Pascual when she claimed the P10,000 sent by the victim through Palawan Express Padala.
Eventually, the NBI arrested the Nigerian after Jackie Pascual gave the information of where she was supposed to meet him.