A house, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), and other assets worth millions of naira have been recovered and handed over to an Australian woman, Karo Kazzi, after her ex-husband, Odey Aleka, was convicted of romance scam.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the recovered assets were handed over to the victim on Wednesday at its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2.

The assets recovered include a gold wedding ring, a gold chain with a cross pendant, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, a Lexus RX350 SUV, and a one-storey building comprising six room-and-parlour self-contained apartments located along the Emedu-Awoyaya axis of Ajah, Lagos.

The properties were recovered from Odey Aleka, who was convicted of romance scam and obtaining by false pretence.

'The EFCC remains committed to ensuring that victims of economic and financial crimes obtain justice and, where possible, recover assets fraudulently obtained from them,' Mr Kaltungo said.

The EFCC noted that the handover followed a final forfeiture order granted by Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on 12 March 2024.

The victim initiated divorce proceedings against her husband after discovering that he had been defrauding her through false representations.

The EFCC said it completed all legal procedures required for the release of the forfeited assets before formally handing them over to the victim's legal representative on Wednesday.

The latest restitution spotlights the commission's increasing focus on ensuring that victims of financial crimes recover assets traced to convicted fraudsters.

The case also underscores the growing cross-border nature of romance scams, which have become a major concern for law enforcement agencies worldwide as fraudsters exploit online relationships to deceive victims into parting with money and valuable assets.

The EFCC has been intensifying its crackdown on cyber-enabled crimes, particularly romance scams and other forms of internet fraud that often target victims across national borders.

In recent years, the commission has secured several convictions and obtained court orders to recover and return proceeds of crime to identifiable victims where the law permits.

The case highlights the increasing sophistication of cybercrime and the need for international cooperation to combat these crimes.

The EFCC has been working with international partners to track down and prosecute cybercrime suspects who operate across national borders.

The commission's efforts have resulted in the recovery of assets worth billions of naira from convicted cybercrime suspects.

The EFCC has also set up a dedicated unit to handle cybercrime cases and has provided training to its officers on how to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

The unit has been working closely with international partners to gather intelligence and share information on cybercrime cases.

The EFCC has also been working to educate the public on how to avoid falling victim to cybercrime.

The commission has launched several awareness campaigns to educate people on the dangers of cybercrime and how to protect themselves online.

The awareness campaigns have been successful in reducing the number of cybercrime cases reported to the commission.

The EFCC has also been working with other law enforcement agencies to track down and prosecute cybercrime suspects.

The commission has secured several convictions in recent years and has recovered assets worth millions of naira from convicted cybercrime suspects.

The EFCC has also set up a database to track and monitor cybercrime cases.

The database has been useful in identifying patterns and trends in cybercrime cases and has helped the commission to develop strategies to combat these crimes.

The EFCC has also been working to improve its capabilities to investigate and prosecute cybercrime cases.

The commission has been providing training to its officers on how to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

The EFCC has also been working to improve its collaboration with international partners to track down and prosecute cybercrime suspects who operate across national borders.

Key Facts:

  • The recovered assets include a gold wedding ring, a gold chain with a cross pendant, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, a Lexus RX350 SUV, and a one-storey building comprising six room-and-parlour self-contained apartments.
  • The assets were recovered from Odey Aleka, who was convicted of romance scam and obtaining by false pretence.
  • The EFCC said it completed all legal procedures required for the release of the forfeited assets before formally handing them over to the victim's legal representative on Wednesday.
  • The case highlights the growing cross-border nature of romance scams, which have become a major concern for law enforcement agencies worldwide.
  • The EFCC has been intensifying its crackdown on cyber-enabled crimes, particularly romance scams and other forms of internet fraud that often target victims across national borders.