Bank worker, wife arrested over alleged $1.49 million money laundering
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos has arrested a former bank assistant general manager, Rowly Isioro, and his businesswoman wife, Naomi, for their alleged involvement in a $1.49 million fraud.
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Monday, said the couple allegedly laundered the said amount through Mrs Isioro’s bank account in Nigeria.
The EFCC said their arrest followed a petition it received from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the office of the Legal Attache, United States Consulate, Lagos, alleging the couple’s involvement in Business Email Compromise and money laundering.
”So far, the investigation revealed that Mrs Isioro met one Michael Uziewe (who is still at large) in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, sometime in 2016, and introduced her to foreign exchange business.
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”Through this encounter, she and her banker husband turned their two registered companies, Marhoni General Services Limited and Multaid Plus Limited, into a conduit for the dispersal of funds wired by Mr Uziewe, who allegedly owns Global Investment network,” the EFCC said in the statement.
The commission said Mrs Isioro’s statements confirmed she had been receiving monies in dollars, with instructions to pay the naira equivalent into accounts provided by Mr Uziewe.
”Facts have also emerged that each time she receives the dollar transfers, she makes over the counter withdrawals, in breach of financial regulations that such transactions go through the financial system, and sell them to Bureau de Change operators for Naira equivalents.
The statement said Mr Isioro, who is a bank worker of over 22 years experience in one of the first generation banks, confessed to the EFCC that he was aware that someone his wife met in the United States sends her dollars and that she pays the naira equivalent to various accounts on the instruction of the US-based partner.
EFCC said Mr Isioro has been relieved of his appointment with the bank as a result of his involvement in the money laundering scheme.
The agency did not name the bank Mr Isioro worked for.
