Asej Global Services which is owned by one Ojo Temitope Francis has been dragged to the Federal High Court Lagos, after First City Monument Bank (FCMB) had reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, a suspicious deposit of $54,000 in the domiciliary account of the firm.
The prosecution, who filed a 20-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion on notice, seeking full forfeiture of the $54,000, said that the EFCC launched investigations on Asej Global Services after a petition by FCMB was lodged.
Peter Chimdinma, the investigating officer with EFCC disclosed to the presiding judge, Justice Muslim Hassan, that the deposited funds were suspected to be from cyber fraud activities.
Chimdinma said;
“The petitioner, First City Monument Bank, enquired about the nature of the funds and the account holder (Francis) claimed that they were from his friend and associate, George Edwards Cook, residing in the United States and that the funds were for the purchase of properties on behalf of the said friend and business associate.
“That upon further enquiry, the suspect provided a copy of the driver’s licence of a white man, purporting that it belonged to the said friend and business associate residing in the United States and could not provide information on the nature of their business.
“That in the course of the investigation, a letter of request for assistance was sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to assist in locating and interviewing the said business associate, Mr George Edward Cook.
“That in response to the letter of request for assistance sent to the FBI, it was revealed that the said George Edward Cook had been flagged by the US Department of Treasury and US Banking Financial Security Network as a known fraudster.
“Investigation further revealed that as of December 2017, George Edward Cook utilised counterfeit cheques to deposit $44,480 but was denied and is currently unable to secure any new US-based bank account under his name due to his ban by FINCEN.
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“That so far, the team has been able to establish that one Ojo Temitope Francis, hiding under the cover of the suspect, Asej Global Services, operated a domiciliary account in FCMB and received funds from George Edward Cook, who has been identified as a US-based fraudster.
“That the whereabouts of the said Mr George Edward Cook is unknown and he is likely trying to transfer his ill-gotten funds from the US to Nigeria through the domiciliary account of the suspect.”
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