EFCC Arrests 62-Yr-Old Ponzi Operator in Uyo

…Fraudster Promises 50% Return on Investment

A 62-year-old Operator of a grand Ponzi Scheme, Umanah Umanah, alleged to swindle people by assuring them of a 50% interest in one week of investing their money in his scheme, has been arrested by the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The name of his scheme is “No Burn Global Limited”

His arrest at the Osongoma area of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, according to the EFCC, followed a petition sent to the anti-graft agency by one Joseph E. Uko, who alleged that Umanah swindled him of over N2.9million (Two Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira).

The petitioner alleged that Umanah subsequently issued him a cheque for N500,000( Five Hundred Thousand Naira only) that was never honoured as the account in question was not funded to cover the sum for which the cheque was issued. 

According to the petitioner, after several months of expecting to receive his 50% returns on investment, without any success,  he decided to get back his invested funds.  But all efforts made by him to get back his money proved abortive as Umanah deserted his office located at Plot 110-Unit D,  Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo,, and went into hiding until operatives of the commission smoked him out.

EFCC said in a statement on Tuesday “Before his arrest,  Umanah, 62, allegedly lures people to invest in his company,  by assuring them of a bogus 50% interest within one week.  He allegedly operated smoothly in a number of states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), but denied any knowledge of the petitioner  and the evidence of his allegations against him.”

While being interrogated,  Umanah said:  “I am the Chief Executive Officer of No Burn Global Limited. The company is a consultancy and entrepreneurship service provider. It provides information and stimulates ideas. I was shocked to see the cheque as a source of a petition against me. It is my handwriting on the cheque. But I have never met Joseph Ukoh Eboh before in my life”.

However, investigation into the matter revealed that Umanah is the leader of a syndicate  of advance fee fraudsters , who had  operated in various states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Abuja amongst others. He was also reported to be operating along the West Coast,  especially Ghana and Togo.

“The suspect  will soon  be charged to court,” the anti corruption agency concluded.