Orange is the new green: Nigeria scammer bags $1m while operating behind bars

A convicted fraudster housed in a maximum security prison in Nigeria managed to pull off a $1m (£775,000) online scam from behind bars. The African nation's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission this week said Hope Olusegun Aroke, who is serving a 24-year stretch for a previous fraud conviction in 2015, used a contraband …

[Allan George Dyer]

Better check...

Have they actually got him behind bars again, or do they have a rather hung-over party guest instead?

"You may be surprised to be receiving this, I am a convicted scammer trying to get away with my $1M in ill-gotten gains and I need your assistance. I am holding a celebratory party, please meet me there to discuss an offer to your advantage. Oh, and bring your passport."

[Venerable and Fragrant Wind of Change]

Picture posed by model ...

Yes of course that's a stock picture posed by a model: isn't that true of pretty-much every Reg article? So why spell it out for this one in particular?

I'm impressed that Nigeria locks its fraudster up for 24 years: in Blighty if he greased the right palms he'd be at large and possibly on track for the Honours list. But less impressed at the lack of security at his prison.

[phuzz]

Re: Picture posed by model ...

I think in the UK you'd have to be up for the sort of fraud that steal entire small countries before you're eligible for a knighthood.

Once you do though you could end up with food or even articles of clothing named after you!

[WolfFan]

Re: Picture posed by model ...

Other than sandwiches and cardigans and maybe Wellington boots, though that’s a stretch, I’m drawing a blank.

[Is It Me]

Re: Picture posed by model ...

Beef wellington as well.

[Anonymous Coward]

His spouse

I think I had an email from his spouse the other day, saying her husband was in prison, and she needed help getting his money out of the country.....

I offered her the option to put it in my savings account for a while.....

[Pascal Monett]

"against established standard practice"

Um, given that we're talking about a Nigerian prison, just exactly what "established standards" are we talking about ?

It's Nigeria. The only standard is the fact that officials are corrupt.

[rmason]

Re: "against established standard practice"

Exactly.

It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out how a man whose previous occupation was "stole a load of money" managed, somehow, to get preferential treatment in a prison in a famously corrupt part of the world..

I wonder how he managed that?

[Cynic_999]

Re: "against established standard practice"

But are they more corrupt than UK prison staff? Inmates in the UK appear to have little problen getting drugs and cellphones.

[Mark 85]

Re: "against established standard practice"

But are they more corrupt than UK prison staff? Inmates in the UK appear to have little problen getting drugs and cellphones.

You must have a different class of crims then since they're not getting piles of money. Or maybe a different class of turnkeys.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "against established standard practice"

> But are they more corrupt than UK prison staff? Inmates in the UK appear to have little problen getting drugs and cellphones.

Not to mention facilities for injecting the illicit funds back into the financial system.

[batfink]

The other standard in Nigeria is that there are no social services, such as unemployment benefits.

Strangely enough, people do whatever it takes to earn money.

I'm not supporting it of course, just pointing out that there are incentives.

[AndrueC]

Obligatory Dilbert.

[Anonymous Coward]

Guards

"While the EFCC has yet to figure out exactly how Aroke was able to get the phone, internet connection, and bank token "

I'm thinking the guards got a little extra pay..... it's not rocket science.

People even die unexpectedly alone is high security prison while under suicide watch. A phone is easy comparatively.

[Neoc]

I guess "Olusegun" was more of "Olusecannon".