ULTRASCAN-AGI / Since 1996

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Archive with over two decades of news items on Nigerian 419 Advance Fee Fraud scams since 1996

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The 1996 News starts below.
********************************

5 DEC 96

Item: In the interest of Fair Play we wish to report a
recent call 419 Coalition received from a Canadian firm.
The firm stated that the Nigerian Government had recently
paid them 1/2 of the monies due on a contract performed
in the mid - 80's, less the income tax due on that
contract and their attorney's ( in Nigeria ) expenses
incurred to get the monies. The firm was quite pleased,
even though the payment was a decade late, as we
understood it, and fully expected to receive the other
half of the monies due them before Christmas 96.

The firm also endorsed Paul Ogwuma, Governor of
CBN, as a reliable International Banker.

We offer the above with only this comment: We
continue to recommend that individuals and firms
contemplating doing business with Nigeria take
note of THE FIVE RULES FOR DOING BUSINESS WITH
NIGERIA as stated on the 419 Coalition Main Page
and make their decisions based on All the data
on hand, Pro or Con, in deciding Go or No Go.

It is NOT the function of The 419 Coalition to
dictate how Anyone makes their Business Decisions,
nor would we Presume to do so.

Addendum: The Canadian Firm mentioned above
( a chemical firm out of Edmonton ) also promised to
fax us material to back up what they said, but despite
nagging them by email and voice we have yet to
receive it.

Item: Pursuant to the recent "Presidential Decision
Directive #42 concerning money laundering by President
Clinton, a senior US Delegation is travelling to Lagos
on 8 DEC. The main focus of the trip will be money
laundering, but the Delegation will also be prepared
to engage the Government of Nigeria comprehensively
and constructively on a broader agenda, seeking
progress in areas of narcotics trafficking, all
forms of financial crime, counterfeit and altered
documents, Immigration Benefits fraud, trafficking
in persons and contraband, corruption, and violent
crime." ( US State Dept letter 26 NOV 96 ).

State, Commerce, the Secret Service, FBI, Customs,
Immigration, and Treasury (FINCEN), among others,
are among the United States Government Departments
and Agencies represented in the Delegation.

To assure that the Delegation had the African
view before departing, State asked the Trans-
Africa organization to contact the leading
African and Nigerian Organizations in the US
to be briefed in from their perspective prior
to its departure, said briefing held at the
State Department 6 DEC 96.

Heading up the Delegation will be Jonathan Winer,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Law
Enforcement and Crime in the Bureau of International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement. A summary of his
testimony on white collar crime in Nigeria before
the US House of Representatives Committee on
International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa,
on 11 SEP 96 is given below in an earlier news
item.

The 419 Coalition says, to mix metaphors, "Give
'em Hell gentlemen, and Don't Take any Wooden
Nickels."

Item: A. Y. Shehu, Assistant to Adamu Mohammed
the Special Adviser to Abacha on Drugs and Financial
Crimes ( see previous items for more on both men ),
recently called our colleagues at International
Investigation Services ( IIS ) three times in one
day demanding that The 419 Coalition Site be shut
down or he "was gonna sue" us. Our reponse was "Go
right ahead, if you're feeling Froggy then Jump"
and the reader will notice our Site is still up.
Of course, we also pointed out that in the event
of a suit against us by Shehu ( or anyone else
for that matter ) in US Courts we intend to call
as witnesses Special Agent Jim Caldwell of the
United States Secret Service Task Force and about
a dozen of his colleagues; United States Justice
Department Attorney Nicole Healy and about three
of her colleagues; United States Department of State
representative Jonathan Winer; and others, all US
Government experts on 419 operations. We also
indicated we'd call as witnesses about 100 US
419 victims to give testimony in addition to the
preceding US Government experts, plus experts on
419 operations from half a dozen or so Nigerian
expatriate organizations. Haven't heard anything
more about the threatened "lawsuit" since.

Item: We have an unconfirmed report from a
retired member of the Intelligence Community
that there are not less than five International
Terrorist type organizations using Nigeria as a
safe haven, that these groups are using 419
operations, in part, to capitalize their
operations, and that several of them get
the balance of their funding from arms-running
operations - mostly into Chad - weaponry purchased
mostly in the US through UK Blinds. As noted
above, The 419 Coalition has been unable to
obtain independent confirmation of this report,
so it must be classed as Rumor, not as fact,
but nevertheless food for thought....

Item: 419 Coalition just received its first
conclusive report of a Scam Prospect whose
contact and mailing data were obtained from
the Net. We have also noted a couple of
"invest in Nigeria" sites up on the net of
late, which include the opportunity for
foreign investors to "buyback" Government of
Nigeria Debt at a premium rate of interest
paid to the investor, and also offering
investments in various Nigerian Banks which
are Demonstrably Dirty and in fact are on the
"List of Nigerians Responsible for Failed
Banks and Financial Institutions" Culled From:
New Nigeria Forum (UK), Nigeria Now, "The Truth
Behind Abacha's Anti-Corruption Crusade" June
1996 edition. To which 419 Coalition says that
is is becoming obvious that the Bad Guys are
trying to figure out how to use the Net to
expand Nigerian Scam operations, and we again
URGE EVERYONE TO READ "THE FIVE RULES FOR
DOING BUSINESS WITH NIGERIA" FOUND ON THE
419 COALITION MAIN PAGE before deciding
whether or not to invest in or do business
with Nigeria no matter from WHERE the business
or investment proposal originates.

24 OCT 96

Item: This month Attorney General Janet Reno
announced 40 some arrests in the dismantling of
a big-time international drug cartel. The arrests
were due, she said, to unprecendented cooperation
between Thai, Pakistani, UK, and US authorities.
Those arrested were primarily Nigerian women.
The 419 Coalition has asked the US Government to
explore connections between the drug cartel and
the 419 operations which often capitalize such
organizations.

Item: This month the Governor of the Central Bank
of Nigeria, Paul Ogwuma, was in Washington, DC for
an international banker's conference. While he
was here, the Attorneys in the Adler Case ( see
earlier news items ) deposed him regarding that
matter. A process server in the Quelley Case
( similar to the Adler Case ) attempted to serve
him a subpoena to be deposed in that matter also,
but Ogwuma's bodyguards reportedly attempted to
run the man down with vehicles to prevent him from
serving the papers. Ogwuma's presence here produced
vociferous demands for his arrest and prosecution
under the RICO Act and other charges but our
understanding is that the US authorities have
decided to let the Civil Cases run their course
first before taking direct actions in this matter.

Item: Anti - 419er riots were recently reported from
the city of Kano in Nigeria. It appears that local
Bad Guys kidnapped the son of a respected citizen,
were paid a very large ransom, but the boy was found
dead in the trunk of a car nevertheless. The People
of Kano then rioted and began burning the houses of
the wealthy who had no apparent means of support or
income, many of them suspected 419ers, the occupants
of those houses fleeing for their lives. Several dozen
houses were reportedly burned. The Nigerian Government
reportedly had to call in troops and institute a curfew
to quell the riots.

Item: West Africa Magazine in its 29 JUL - 4 AUG 96
issue in its piece titled "Nigeria and the Advanced
Fee Fraud Scam - 419" and a companion piece titled
"Ethical Business - Nigeria" both written "By A Special
Correspondent" restated the Nigerian Government standard
line in this matter, including the standard victim bashing,
the denial of Nigerian Government involvement, the restatement
of unenforced decrees and laws etc. concerning 419 and money
laundering, the recitation of all the Committees and
Agencies formed to "do" something about 419 over the years
etc. etc. For those interested in researching the Government
of Nigeria Position in this matter, a good resource. We'd
have found the piece much more interesting if they had seen
fit to print the name, title, and qualifications of the
anonymous "Special Correspondent", but c'est la vie.

Item: 419 Coalition associates are seeking data on
Ademu Mohammed, Special Adviser to the Head of State
and Commander in Chief ( Sani Abacha ) on Drugs and
Financial Crimes. Ademu Mohammed is reportedly a
close personal friend of General Abacha and is
the Boss of A Y Shehu ( see below ), who is his
assistant. If you have any information on Ademu
Mohammed, please send it along to 419 Coalition.

17 SEP 96

The House of Representatives ( Congress ) International
Relations Africa Subcommittee had a Hearing on "Nigerian
White Collar Crime" 11 SEP ( as you know, the Senate
Foreign Relations Africa Subcommittee had a similar
hearing a few months ago ).

Representatives from Justice, State, Commerce, and the
Secret Service Task Force testified before the Committee.

Here are highlights of what each said:

Mark Richard for Justice - "The Nigerian Government has
never extradited to the US any individual charged with
committing a financial crime...nor have Nigerians been
prosecuted for advance fee fraud or related money
laundering offenses in Nigeria. Thus, Nigerians who
commit these offenses can operate in their own country
with relative impunity...Advance fee fraud has permeated
the few functioning institutions in Nigeria, including
the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Department of Justice
has...produced a manual for federal prosecutors outlining
strategies for investigating and prosecuting [419 and
other Nigerian white collar crime] offenses."

Sally Miller for Commerce - To get verifications on
Nigerian companies & to check them out etc. "call
1-800 -USA-TRADE" which will "provide you with the
number of the US Department of Commerce Export Assistance
Center (EAC) nearest you." You can also get in touch
with the Nigeria Desk at the Department of Commerce,
fax 202-482-5198 for "help in determining the legitimacy
of a business proposal."

Jonathan Winer for State - "We will make certain that
the Nigerian Government understands that the American
government expects concrete and positive action" [on
419 fraud, drugs, and other white collar crime]. State
promotes international efforts to combat Nigerian crime,
including "a joint demarche, initiated by Department of
State, complaining about 419 advance fee scams, presented
by 39 countries jointly to the Nigerian Government...We
have seen little effort this year by the Nigerian Government
to enforce its money-laundering decree...the Central Bank
of Nigeria...offices have been used to commit fraud...it
is widely believed the corruption and criminal activity
[in Nigeria], especially global and regional financial
fraud, are fostered by...the Nigerian elite...[who]
have links to ranking Nigerian Government officials."

Michael C. Stenger for Secret Service - "It is clear
that Nigerian organized crime must be worked as a whole
and not as individual pieces...it should be noted that
...advance fee schemes emanate solely from within Nigeria
...investigations indicate that...these institutions [CBN
and other Nigerian Government] are involved in laundering
of proceeds derived from Advance Fee Frauds and the
trafficking of narcotics." To report receipt of fraudulent
business proposals from Nigeria, fax the Secret Service
Task Force at 202-435-5031.

22 AUG 96

The August issue of Spotlight Magazine ( New York, US )
contains the best and most complete print article and
analysis of the Scam we have seen to date ( written by
Carol Vinzant ). It replaces the Asia magazine articles
of DEC 1995 in the the #1 spot, though the Asia article
remains excellent and must reading on the Scam.

The Spotlight article minces no words concerning Nigerian
Government involvement in the Scam and names Paul Ogwuma,
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as a Scammer.

Back issues of Spotlight are US$3.00 each plus shipping
and handling. The main phone numbers for Spotlight are
914-381-4740 Voice; 914-381-4641 Fax; and the Subsciption
Department ( this is where to call ) is 914-381-4812 Voice.
Get 'em while they last.

In other news, 35 Scammers detained in Nigeria last month
with the help of the Secret Service Joint Task Force on West
African Fraud remain in custody, and it is our understanding
that the cases against them are very strong. Both 419 Coalition
and the Task Force are carefully watching what happens with the
35 remaining detainees...

Item: Sources have informed us that A Y Shehu, late of the
abortive Presidential Task Force on Trade Malpractices
under the Babangida Government, and currently Assistant
to Ademu Muhammed, Special Adviser on Drugs and Financial
Crimes, is the "front man" for one Godwin Dabo, a "well
known crook and trickster" who used to publish "The Broom"
a Lagos daily. However, Mr. Dabo attempted to burn the
candle at both ends, apparently, for he is under detention
( whatever that means ) and has been for awhile as we understand
it, for daring to "muckrake" the Gov't while being a bad guy
himself ( the double ended candle ).

Another item: The unofficial word from the US Government
is that, aside from addressing the Scam at a law enforcement
level, "there is a much bigger ball getting ready to roll,"
and that the Scam, as well as "Nigerian Organized Crime as
a whole" is "receiving a great deal of attention and at
pretty high levels of the [US] Government." We hope so.

Item: The Adler case in San Diego, in which Adler is asking
for a multimillion US$ judgement against the Nigerian Government
severally and Paul Ogwuma, Governor of CBN, and other officials
individually, is moving steadily towards a Default Judgement
in favor of Adler, as Ogwuma and others have defied US Federal
Court orders to appear in relation to this matter, and the
stalling tactics of the Nigerian Government's attorneys are
about exhausted.

Item: In the Tei case in US Federal Court in St. Louis,
which is similar to the Adler case, Ogwuma and other Nigerian
Government officials have also been ordered to appear, the
appeals of the Nigerian Government attorneys notwithstanding.

Finally, The 419 Coalition continues to fight on a case by
case basis, as the Scam continues unabated. We're currently
advising on not less than six sting operations ranging from
the US to Australia.

23 JUL 96

The Joint West African Task Force went to Nigeria and with the
cooperation of the Nigerian Police Federal Investigation and
Intelligence Bureau (FIIB) 43 "419ers" were detained by the
Nigerian authorities.

We have asked the Task Force to inform us of all convictions
( if any ) and forfeitures ( if any ) that are obtained in any
of these cases if and when they occur, and will revise our
analyses of Nigerian Government involvement in 419 operations
in accordance with the outcomes - if warranted.

On another matter, we ask you for any 419 related data you may
have on Mr. Paul Ogwuma, Governor of CBN so that we may turn it
over to the appropriate United States authorities. Please
email the data to alphae@rica.net.

Over the last two years, Mr. Ogwuma has been named as a respondent
in not less than two 419 related lawsuits filed in Federal Court
in the United States. There is sworn eyewitness testimony from
several of the plaintiffs that they met with Mr. Ogwuma in his
offices at CBN, Mr. Ogwuma's identity in these meetings being
indisputable. Additional sworn testimony states that they were
able to call CBN at verifiable CBN numbers, ask for, and speak
with Mr. Ogwuma. They were also able to pick a verified photo
of Mr. Ogwuma out of a photo lineup here in the United States and
identify him as the Ogwuma they spoke with at CBN. And there is
more, of course.

The Unites States Government has been requested to indict Mr.
Ogwuma in Unites States Federal Court for racketeering under the
RICO Act, among other potential charges.

15 JUL 96

We thank the Association of Nigerians Abroad for inviting us to
give a presentation at the First International Conference on
Nigeria to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, 12 - 14 JUL.

At the invitation of the Nigerian Government, our associated
organization, International Investigation Services, met in Dublin,
Ireland with Ademu Muhammed, Special Advisor on Drugs and Financial
Crimes, and others, including A Y Shehu, Secretary to the Advisor.
The meeting was, at best, inconclusive - more of the same old, same
old, in our view.

419 Coalition was puzzled my Mr. Shehu's presence, as, under the
Babangida Government in 1993, he held the position of Secretary -
Task Force on Trade Malpractices, and issued through official
channels ( the Nigerian Consulate in New York ) a report sent
directly to 419 Coalition in a given case as "proof" something was
being done about the Scam, but when we followed up with the Scammee,
we were informed in no uncertain terms that the report was an outright
lie, and in fact that the Nigerian Government had done absolutely
nothing for them in relation to the Scam, and that the claims made
in the official document were false.

We came to the conclusion that Shehu was at least a Scam cover-
upper and that he was possibly an active Scammer himself.

Accordingly, it was rather disconcerting to see him turning up
again in 1996 in essentially the same position with the Abacha
government's primary "Scam-fighting arm."

When he was shown at Dublin, in person and in private, the hardcopy
evidence we have on him, he became visibly distressed and started
to babble. However, since he has returned to Nigeria he seems to
have recovered his poise.

We are interested in all additional information any of you have on
A Y Shehu, including salary data, lifestyle, friends, associates,
etc. Please email the data to 419 Coalition at alphae@rica.net.

In other matters, over the last quarter 419 Coalition has saved
potential victims from the US and South Africa, partial victims
from Thailand, Indonesia, and Spain ( among others ), stung a
Scammer clearinghouse in Georgia, US, and is working on several
others, provided data for pieces on the Scam by BBC radio and
Spotlight Magazine ( among others ), and has come up on the net
with our own website.

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