The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley, who was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for defrauding an American woman of $205,238 under false pretences.
Justice U.P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, delivered the judgment on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
The court sentenced Kingsley to seven years on each of the two counts against him, without an option of fine. The sentences are to run concurrently at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
It also ordered him to restitute the victim, Nicole Kierulff Sayers, the sum of $205,238.
Kingsley was prosecuted by the EFCC on an amended two-count charge bordering on possession of a document containing false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence in connection with a purported contract with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
One of the charges accused him of possessing a fake notice of intent to award a contract, allegedly issued in his name by the ministry.
The second count accused him of obtaining $205,238 from Sayers by falsely claiming that the money was needed to finance a government contract.
During the trial, Sayers, an American lawyer based in Oregon, United States, told the court that Kingsley first contacted her through Facebook on her birthday.
She said he claimed to belong to the same spiritual organisation as her, adding that their conversations eventually developed into a romantic relationship.
According to the witness, the relationship made her trust Kingsley and believe his claims about the purported government contract.
She testified that Kingsley later requested money to facilitate the contract award, claiming that some individuals were threatening his life because he had failed to provide the funds required to secure the deal.
Sayers said he supplied her with details of the purported contract, including a logo and other information, which she believed.
She told the court that Kingsley initially requested $15,000, promising to repay the money within 45 days. She transferred the funds through a money transfer application.
The witness further said Kingsley introduced her to members of his family during a video call, during which they allegedly thanked her for assisting him with the purported contract.
According to her testimony, she had transferred about $40,000 to Kingsley before travelling to Nigeria to meet him in person.
Sayers said she arrived in Abuja in March 2022 and spent two weeks with him at his rented residence in Sun City, adding that she continued the relationship partly because she wanted to recover her money.
She alleged that Kingsley subsequently made additional requests for funds, citing medical emergencies, surgeries, malaria treatment and supplies needed for the purported government contract.
The witness told the court that the requests involved more than 125 transactions and that she transferred well over $200,000 within 12 months.
She also testified that Kingsley presented a document which he claimed showed that he had attempted to transfer $10,000 to her.
According to Sayers, he claimed the bank intercepted the transaction because the money was allegedly connected to the misappropriation of government funds, which he said had led to his arrest and detention.
She further alleged that he asked her to provide money for his bail and bribes connected to the purported criminal case.
The court subsequently convicted Kingsley and ordered him to refund the full amount to the victim.
