By Peace Udugba
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a self-proclaimed spiritualist, Odigie Moses, for allegedly extorting $1,100 from an Indian woman through a sextortion and blackmail scheme.
The suspect was apprehended in Ekpoma, Edo State, following investigations by the anti-graft agency into allegations of cyber-enabled sexual extortion.
According to a statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, Moses allegedly posed as a spiritual healer on Zelle, a social media platform, where he claimed to possess supernatural healing powers capable of solving life-threatening challenges.
The commission said the Indian woman contacted the suspect in search of spiritual intervention. During their interaction, Moses allegedly convinced her to take a naked spiritual bath, which he secretly recorded during a live session without her knowledge or consent.
The EFCC further alleged that the suspect later used the explicit video to blackmail the victim, threatening to publish it unless she paid him money.
Investigations by the commission revealed that the victim eventually transferred $1,100 to the suspect to stop him from releasing the video to the public.
The anti-graft agency disclosed that Moses remains in its custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The EFCC urged members of the public to remain vigilant against online fraudsters who exploit spirituality and other deceptive means to defraud unsuspecting victims.
