A federal high court in Lagos has sentenced Courage Ipaka, a singer who impersonated popular Nigerian artist, Flavour to two years imprisonment. Ipaka was found guilty of defrauding a United States-based lady, Yvelte M. Thompson, of $53,000.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigator, Azibagiri Dan Ekpar, led the probe against Ipaka. According to Ekpar, the defendant promised to organize shows in America for Thompson and received payment through his Bitcoin wallets.
Following a petition received by the EFCC from one Eyitayo Tolulope Abiodun and others on behalf of the victim, “We invited Flavour who claimed innocence of the allegations,” Ekpar stated. “Upon investigation, we discovered that one Ipaka Courage who lives in Benin City was the perpetrator. The defendant admitted in his statement that he impersonated Flavour by obtaining $53,000 from a woman who is a United States citizen in 2021.”
Ipaka wired the funds through Bitcoin wallets and converted them into his Access Bank account, where he received the value in Naira. The EFCC recovered N7.9 million from the defendant through Zenith and Access Bank manager’s cheques.
Presiding judge Dehinde Dipeolu sentenced Ipaka to two years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N2 million. Additionally, the court ordered Ipaka to forfeit the sum of N7.9 million to Thompson.