Fraud: Nigerian Man Convicted For Attempting To Swindle Town In Canada

An Uber driver from Nigeria has been found guilty of fraud, after attempting to swindle the Town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada, of $490,930.43.

According to CBC News, Ayoola Ajibade who posed as an executive in Dexter Construction Company persuaded the town to make a direct, electronic payment into a Scotiabank branch in Brampton.

The trial Judge, Paul Scovil in his judgment, disclosed that Ajibade's plan started to unravel when he tried to get Scotiabank to make a $180,000 wire transfer to China.

It was gathered that Scotiabank contacted the Town of Bridgewater and Dexter Construction and it was discovered that the bank account was owned by Ajibade and had no connection with thencompany.

Ajibade in his testimony informed the court that he was approached by one Andrew in Nigeria, whose last name he does not know.

He continued that Andrew asked him to transfer the $180,000 to China to help buy equipment. At one point, Ajibade said he stopped hearing from Andrew.

"Mr. Ajibade denied knowing that the matter was not on the up and up.

"He broke down and cried for a short while on the witness stand, saying he would never get involved in such a scheme knowingly.

"This court does not find him credible in the least.

"Factor into this ­­­­­bizarre tale is the fact that the only connection of Andrew to Mr Ajibade is a Joshua, again name unknown," the judge stated.

Ajibade is to be sentenced at a later date.

Kevin-Mathieu Gallant Finnerty, a Crown Prosecutor, has described Ajibade's actions as a large-scale fraud.

"This fraudulent act put the entire community at risk of significant financial deprivation.

"The Crown is satisfied with the outcome of this matter," the prosecutor added.

The Town of Bridgewater was, fortunately, able to recover the money mistakenly transferred into Ajibade's bank account.