Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a suspected fake football agent, Osagie Destiny Etinosa, over an alleged N11 million fraud linked to promises of overseas football trials.
According to the commission in a statement shared on their X handle, the suspect was apprehended by operatives of its Benin Zonal Directorate following intelligence gathered through open-source investigations.
The anti-graft agency said Etinosa allegedly posed as a football agent on Instagram, where he claimed to specialise in linking aspiring footballers with foreign clubs for trials and recruitment opportunities. He reportedly operated the account @officialking_etto to advertise the supposed opportunities.
In one of the cases cited by the commission, the suspect allegedly collected N11 million from a victim, Samuel Beke Ohazuruike, after promising to secure trials for him with clubs in Romania and Bulgaria.
The EFCC said the trials never materialised, and efforts by the victim to recover his money were unsuccessful.
Following complaints and intelligence gathered online, operatives tracked and arrested the suspect. He is currently in custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The commission also cautioned members of the public to be vigilant when dealing with individuals offering overseas opportunities, particularly on social media platforms, noting that such claims should be properly verified before any financial transactions are made.