Black-money swindlers get 18 months' jail

Two Australian businessmen who thought they were swindling Nigeria out of US$30 million (HK$232 million) were duped out of US$400,000.

The two victims were tricked by a Nigerian gang's black-money scam, the District Court heard yesterday.

Soccer player Tunde Smith, 31, unemployed Alhaji Tijani, 48, and businessman David Obieke, 33, were jailed for 18 months after admitting conspiracy to defraud. Sentencing of Prince Edozie, 33, who also pleaded guilty, was adjourned.

Prosecutor Kestitus Kirpas said that in December 1996 the two victims received a fax from Nigeria inviting them to share the spoils of a government contract.

They were lured into telling the Government it owed them US$30 million for work done, Judge Peter Line heard. The victims transferred more than US$400,000 to Nigerian accounts to 'pay VAT' or 'cover storage costs'.

On April 29, the victims met gang, who told them the US$30 million was ready for collection but blackened for security reasons. The victims told police after the gang said there was a problem with the 'powder' used to wash the money.