A man from Nigeria living in Britain, Oluwaseun Ajayi and a woman said to be his lover, Inga Irbe, were on Friday, January 10, jailed following an investigation by the Met’s Central Specialist Crime – Cyber Crime Unit.
Appearing at Croydon Crown Court, Ajayi, 39 and Irbe, 49 both of Orchard Road, Dagenham, were sentenced to five years and six months and a community order of 12 months and 170 hours unpaid work respectively.
They were found guilty by a jury at the same court on November 27, 2019 of two counts of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between February i, 2012 and May 14, 2018. In addition, Ajayi was also found guilty with failure to comply with a Section 49 RIPA notice (to disclose the PIN code to his phone).
The court heard that between February 1, 2012 and May 14, 2018, both suspects compromised more than 700 bank accounts and mobile phone accounts and placed orders for upgraded phones on the victim’s mobile phone accounts.
It is believed that the mobile phone upgrade fraud exceeded £12,000. The suspects also applied for bank accounts, loans and credit cards in customer names without their knowledge.
On November 22, 2016 officers executed a search where they subsequently arrested Ajayi and Irbe for Fraud by False Representation.
A search of the room they were living in was conducted and various items were seized including mobile phones, iPad, laptop, a computer and a financial document.
Both were arrested and bailed pending further enquiries. On September 7, 2018 at 8.00 a.m., while the pair awaited a trial for the above offences, police executed a second search warrant.
When officers knocked on the front door of the address, there was a delay in anybody answering the front door. Officers saw Ajayi at an upstairs window in one of the bedrooms, while Irbe was downstairs. After a couple of minutes police warned they would force entry to the address.
They eventually allowed officers access to the property. A search was conducted of their home address and numerous items were seized including Apple iPhone, Huawei and x2 Nokia mobile phones, SIM cards, iPad, Dell Laptop, an Apple iPad, bank cards in other people’s names, correspondence in other people’s names and £1,200 cash in £50 notes. Both suspects were then arrested on suspicion of Fraud by False Representation whereby they have accessed 27 customers’ bank and credit accounts.
