By Patrick Idowu
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared four individuals wanted over an alleged billion naira investment fraud linked to Crypto Bridge Exchange, a digital trading platform.
The suspects are Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko and Seyi Oloyede.
The commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewole, announced the development in a statement on Friday, following a court order issued by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The order, granted on Thursday, empowered the EFCC to arrest and detain six individuals connected to the CBEX scam.
Apart from the four declared wanted, Avwerosuo Otorudo and Chukwuebuka Ehirim are also named in the case.
According to EFCC counsel, Fadila Yusuf, the suspects fled their last known addresses in Lagos and Ogun states during the investigation.
The commission told the court that obtaining a warrant was crucial to place the suspects on a watch list and fast track their arrest.
The court agreed, issuing a warrant to aid the EFCC in apprehending the defendants and concluding its investigation.
In a supporting affidavit, the EFCC revealed that the suspects, operating through their company ST Technologies International Limited, promoted Crypto Bridge Exchange by running advertisements that lured unsuspecting investors with promises of a one hundred percent return in thirty days.
Preliminary findings show that about 1.3 trillion naira was wiped out from investors’ accounts after the platform collapsed.
The commission is urging the public to assist with information that could lead to the arrest of the wanted individuals.