A Nigerian woman declared wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for internet fraud was on Monday, March 23, sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Nigerian court for internet fraud.

 Joan Uruvbu, who uses Jay Jay as an alias to perpetrate internet fraud, was jailed by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State. According to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), she was brought to court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and intent to defraud.

 According to one of the charges brought against her, she, alongside Daniel Mercedes, Paul Tommy and Sally (all at large) between 2018 and 2019 in Benin City, Edo State, used attached e-mail to obtain personal identification information of others online and used same to file fraudulent tax returns with the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America.

 She thereby committed an offence contrary to Section (27)(b) of the cybercrime(prohibition prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 36(1) of the same Act. In view of her plea, counsel for the EFCC, L.P. Aso, prayed the court that the defendant is convicted and sentenced accordingly. 

However, the defence counsel, John Okhihiegbe, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant was a first-time offender, a youth who had a future ahead of her and has shown remorse. 

Justice Emeka Nwite after listening to the defence and prosecution convicted and sentenced her to two years in prison commencing from the date of arrest. Also, all items recovered from her are to be forfeited and restitution made to her victims.