TWO Nigeria men sentenced to a total number of 28years imprisonment for swindling over $130,000 From vietanmese women they befriended online.

Ihugba Augustine Chinonso,32yrs and Onu Chinonso Peter, 33yrs were sentenced to 28yrs in prison  for swindling over $130,000 From vietanmese women they befriended online. 

The Nigerian men were sentenced to 16 and 12 years in prison for swindling more than $130,000 From vietanmese women they befriended online. 

In the judgement delivered on Monday, 16 July 2018,  Ihugba Augustine Chinonso,32, was sentenced to 16 years in prison while onu Chinonso Peter ,33, got 12 years for "appropriating property through swindling "

The Ho Chin Minh city people's court has also sentenced six of their Vietnamese accomplice to between eight and twenty years in jail on the same charges and for "forging seals and documents of agencies or organisations. 

In addition to the jail sentences, the defendant were required to return all the swindled money on their victims .

According to the indictment, the Nigerian men set up fake account on social networks,befriended the Vietnamese women and promised to send the cash and expensive gifts. 

Their Vietnamese accomplice then pretended to be employees from delivery companies, customs officer's demanded that women transfer delivering fees, customs fees or fines to their bank accounts. 

After each agreed scam, the Vietnamese accomplice got to keep about 15-25 percent of the money, while the rest was sent to Chinonso and Peter.

The gang was busted after one their victims, Chau, reported her case to the police in February 2016.

Chau said she was befriended by a foreigner claiming to be British on Facebook in January. The man promised to send her $100,000 in cash and other expensive gifts a month later.

In early February, a woman claiming to be from delivery company called Chau (calling Chau on phone) asking her to pay a $1,200 delivery fee and a VND80  million ($3,500)customs fee for a free gift from overseas, which she (chau) paid fully.  The woman then claimed she had not received the money and had Chau send her another VND112 million. 

When a man claiming to be an officer from Hanoi's economic police told her to pay a VND200 million fine as her package contains a large amount  cash,chau became suspicious and approached the municipal police for help.

The police quickly identified and arrested the FAKE POLICE OFFICER and his wife.

Following furthe investigations, police uncovered the entire gang and concluded that in addition to chau, they had also scammed another 10 women out nearly VND3 billion ($130,000).

At the trial on Monday, most of the defendant admitted to their crimes. Chinonso, however claimed his confession as obtained under torture. The court dismissed the claim.