Facebook Romance Scam: Abuja Court Jails Man 7 Years, Orders $205,238 Restitution

​An Abuja High Court has handed a seven-year prison sentence to Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley for orchestrating an elaborate romance and contract scam that defrauded an American lawyer of $205,238 (approximately over ₦270 million).

​Justice U.P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, delivered the judgment, convicting Kingsley on a two-count amended charge brought forward by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges bordered on possession of documents containing false pretences and obtaining money under false pretences.

​A Birthday Message That Unraveled Into a Web of Deceit

​The victim, Nicole Kierulff Sayers—an attorney based in Oregon, United States—testified during the trial that the ordeal began when Kingsley reached out to her on Facebook on her birthday. Feigning shared spiritual values, Kingsley cultivated a rapport that swiftly blossomed into an online romantic relationship.

​According to Sayers, trust quickly turned into financial exploitation when Kingsley claimed he had been awarded a lucrative contract by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. He leveraged fake contract documents—complete with official logos and a fabricated notice of intent to award—to substantiate his claims.

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​Kingsley soon began extracting funds under the pretext that the money was urgently needed to finance the project. He escalated the psychological pressure by claiming his life was under threat from dangerous individuals because he lacked the capital to secure the project. To deepen the illusion, Kingsley even introduced Sayers to individuals he presented as family members during a video call, where they purportedly expressed gratitude for her financial backing.

​Over 125 Transactions Over a Year

​Drawn deeper into the emotional web, Sayers initially transferred $15,000 under a promise of repayment within 45 days. By the time she flew to Nigeria in March 2022 to meet him in person and spent two weeks at his rented home in Sun City, Abuja, she had already transferred roughly $40,000.

​Despite meeting him physically, Sayers continued sending funds in a desperate bid to salvage her investment and recover her mounting losses. Over a 12-month period, the scam ballooned across more than 125 separate transactions. Kingsley repeatedly tapped her for cash under various pretexts, including medical emergencies, surgeries, malaria treatments, and further project supplies.

​The manipulation peaked when Kingsley fabricated a bank notification claiming a $10,000 return transfer to her had been intercepted due to suspected government fund misappropriation—subsequently claiming he had been arrested and detained. This forced Sayers to fork out additional money for purported legal bail and bribes. It was only after endless delays and unfulfilled promises of repayment that she realized she had been thoroughly scammed.

​Judgment and Restitution

​Prosecuting counsel Fatsuma Muhammad urged the court to apply the full weight of the law during the closing arguments.

​In his ruling, Justice Kekemeke found Kingsley guilty on both counts, sentencing him to seven years’ imprisonment without an option of fine. The court ruled that the sentences will run concurrently at the Kuje Correctional Centre. Furthermore, the judge ordered Kingsley to make full restitution of the $205,238 to the victim.