BY GODWIN OBI
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.
FRONTLINE REPORTERS 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, PUNCH Metro 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, PUNCH Metro 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 totaling 4,600 Kuwaiti Dinars, equivalent to approximately $14,918.69 based on the currencyconvertonline.com exchange rate.
Uthman, a Mass Communication graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has over six years experience in journalism. He reports crime to community-related news for Metro, business with a focus on the capital market and the oil and gas.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Pythrocin distributed by Pinnacle Health Pharmaceuticals Ltd
