Headline

India-based Nigerian Arrested For Defrauding Company $13,361

Published

1 year ago

February 10, 2025

The Cyber Cell of Delhi Police, India, has arrested a Nigerian national, Patrick Ngomere, for allegedly hacking the email account of the Family Care Pvt. Limited, a pharmaceutical company, and fraudulently syphoning off Rs 11.73 lakh.

The suspect, also accused of residing in India without a valid visa, is believed to be part of a larger syndicate engaged in various cyber frauds across the country.

The PUNCH learnt on Sunday from the Indian online news platform, Millennium Post, that, according to a report by the country’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on Friday, the suspect had confessed to the crime.

Using XE.com, a currency conversion platform, the Rs11.73 lakh (Rs1,173,000) the suspect syphoned from the pharmaceutical firm is equivalent to $13,361.

Ngomere, a Greater Noida resident, was caught in a police trap near an ATM after his mobile phone was found to be linked to the fraudulent bank account.

The report states that the scam allegedly began on December 10 when the pharmaceutical company received an email impersonating its vendor, Accent Pharma, requesting payment to a new bank account.

Unaware of the fraudulent email, the pharmaceutical company allegedly transferred Rs 11.76 lakh, The PUNCH learnt.

Our correspondent gathered that the firm discovered the email had been hacked only after making the payment and conducting verification. This prompted a thorough investigation by the country’s cyber fraud unit.

The report read, “Investigators traced the hacked email to Nigeria and tracked the money to a Manipur bank account. Surveillance footage led to Ngomere’s arrest.

“He was found without a valid Indian visa and is suspected to be part of a larger syndicate. An FIR has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Foreigners Act. Investigations continue.”

In January 2025, The PUNCH reported that the Kuwait General Department of Criminal Investigation in Ahmadi Governorate had arrested two Nigerian nationals for armed robbery.

The suspects were arrested within 24 hours after robbing an exchange office in Mahboula, a district in southern Kuwait City.

They allegedly stole foreign currencies totalling 4,600 Kuwaiti Dinars, equivalent to approximately $14,918.69 based on the currencyconvertonline.com exchange rate.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.