by Admin | Jan 18, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI Stealing someone’s identity to become a dinner cruise ship captain might be easier than actually going through the training — but the latter, at least, doesn’t end with a ten-year prison sentence hanging over your head. Yesterday, 52-year-old Cynthia Lyerla was arrested for using the stolen identity of a dead woman for more than 20 years in order to obtain a mariner’s license and Transportation Security Administration documentation — and also to get paid to live in vacationers’ paradise. According to the indictment, Lyerla, who is from League City, stole the identity of a woman named Christina White, who died in 1965. Investigators confirmed Lyerla’s real identity after she provided fingerprints to apply for a new mariner license — they matched up with prints she gave police back in 1988, when they were investigating her husband’s murder in California. (Another person was convicted for that crime.) Lyerla was indicted on charges of aggravated identity theft, false statements in a passport application, unlawful use and possession of a mariner license, and false personation of a transportation worker. If convicted, she faces up to ten years in federal prison. Might’ve just been cheaper to take a...
by Admin | Jan 18, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI Ruth and Len Mitchell were defrauded out of their retirement savings by their accountant, Barry Korcan—someone they socialized with and trusted to handle their finances. Korcan was their neighbor, kept the books for Len’s business and did the Mitchell’s’ personal taxes. So when Korcan—who also ran an investment company—offered to help the retirees invest $100,000 in real estate bonds, the Mitchells wrote him a check. Over time, many of their friends and business associates began investing with Korcan, too. Although they received statements from Korcan detailing their earnings, there was no investment company and there were no real estate bonds. And after the IRS uncovered Korcan’s $11 million Ponzi scheme, he was convicted for mail fraud and tax evasion. The Mitchells lost all of their money. How did Korcan do it? First, he spent time getting to know his victims to understand what motivated them and when they would be most susceptible to the fraud. Then, he applied several tactics commonly used by fraudsters to gain their trust and take their money. He used his status in the community to set himself up as a financial expert—a tactic known as “source credibility.” He then used his relationship with the Mitchells to gain access to other friends and acquaintances. This is referred to as “social consensus.” Since the Mitchells were investing, their friends thought it must be a good opportunity. Remember, don’t just take their word—check the information you receive and protect yourself from investment...
by Admin | Jan 17, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI One of the new graduates of the University of Ilorin, Korede Adeyanju, has been killed by some assailants in the Ibeshe, Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti State indigene, who rounded off his studies in History Education in 2016, was said to be awaiting the call up to the National Youth Service Corps, when he was attacked and killed last Friday. It was learnt that a group of men broke into his apartment on Ayodele Raji Street and smashed a mortar on his head. The 22-year-old was said to have been rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead. The corpse was reportedly deposited in the hospital’s morgue, while the case was reported at the Ipakodo Police Division. The victim’s uncle, Kehinde Adeyanju, said the assailants were suspected to be members of the Badoo cult, a group which had been terrorising Ikorodu residents. He said, “He finished schooling last year and was awaiting the national service. When the call up was delayed, he decided to start working as a cashier in a sports betting centre in order to get busy. He started the job last Monday. “He had returned from work on Thursday and was chatting on the phone with some of his friends till the early hours of Friday, when the men entered the room “They had tried getting in through the sitting room, but the burglar-proof bars prevented them. They later went in through the bedroom after removing the burglar-proof bars, which probably were not strong enough. “From what we saw, it appeared that he struggled with them before they...
by Admin | Jan 17, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI A famous Malawian businessman identified as Willard Mikayele is currently on the run after he allegedly killed a 19-year-old boy with albinism for money ritual. Mikayele was said to have lured his victim, Sunganani Pensulo with biscuits and juice into his house at Mlonda Village, where he allegedly hacked him to death. Following the incident, angry mob and relatives of Pensulo, in retaliation to the killing, reportedly demolished 11 houses belonging to the suspect. Malawian Nyasa Time Press is reporting that late Pensulo is the 19th person with albinism killed by those who think the body parts of albinos can bring fortunes and wealth. Confirming the incident, the Thyolo police spokesperson, Superintendent Noriety Chihana, said when Pensulo entered the house of Mikayele and was eating the biscuit and drinking the juice, Mikayele came from behind, tied up his neck to choke him before hitting him with a sharp object. Chihana said, “People around the area heard the cries and went to the chief who ordered that the door be broken. When they got in, Pensulo’s lifeless body was found, but Mikayele had run away. We have launched a manhunt for the killer,” the spokesperson...
by Admin | Jan 17, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI One Kelvin Nwanaji, who was accused of operating a fake Facebook account in the name of the Director-General of the Department of State Service, DSS, Mr. Lawan Daura, has been arrested in Lagos State. Nwanaji, who uses the fake account to dupe unsuspecting job seekers, was arrested after he circulated fake messages on the social media that the service was recruiting. Confirming the arrest in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the spokesperson for the DSS, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, said, “Nwanaji had opened a Facebook account in the name of the Director-General of the SSS and had been using it to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, who he promised jobs in the service. “His arrest was sequel to investigation arising from the messages circulating in the social media that the service was recruiting. “Further investigation is being undertaken to arrest Nwanaji’s collaborators in the scam,” Opuiyo added, urging the public to disregard the falsehood. According to him, the falsehood originated from Nwanaji that the service was recruiting. He dismissed the claim, saying the DSS was not embarking on any recruitment exercise currently. The spokesperson said it should be noted that employment into the service was always conducted in the most transparent manner in line with laid down procedures and...
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