By Azubuike Ihemeje
Let’s reconcile this confusion, based on popular demands, seeking for clarifications.
A lot of people are itching to know whether merely receiving money which is part of proceeds of fraud from a Convict of scam automatically makes you liable as accessory or part of the transaction of the Crime committed.
The answer is NO, generally speaking.
For no one expects you to always embark on voyage to investigate sources of bread of all the people, who may patronize you, or pay for your legitimate businesses and services rendered to them.
But there are plenty exceptions to the above general rules. And these exceptions are determinable by each peculiar circumstance. But some facts and elements are usually, always constant, before you become culpable and liable as part of indicted criminal, or as recipient of Scam proceeds.
Some of those elements are;
Your involvement,
Your participation,
And your mental element – which includes your intentions, motives, and anything which reasonable suggests that you knew, or naturally ought to know the ordinary consequences of your actions in the entire transactions, which culminated into the fraud. Or that you acted in anticipation to be compensated, when the “job” crystalizes or mature.
That you performed your role, so that you go benefit from the proceeds, when mugu abi maga pay.
So, some of you, who are already jittery that FBI may come after you for collecting urgent this and that or for even receiving money from Hushpuppy, for services rendered, or for one social reasons or the other, can now be relaxing fesss.
You need not panic, or be scared, for you weren’t captured under the indictable categories. Your super Cop was not indicted merely because he received money from Hushy. He wasn’t implicated in the crime just because he socialized and was given good treats and hospitality in Dubia.
Far away from it!
Your photooooooo craving Cop was thoroughly indicted and charged alongside the principal Criminals, because he was a Participant, a critical and major player in the entire transaction that culminated into the Scam. He wasn’t even a passive one.
From the gamut of the Indictment papers, and pieces of evidences already generated as Proof of Evidence by the Prosecution, your favorite Cop well knew, in advance, the natural consequences of his role, and the effect and core purpose of his actions would make on the entire transaction of fraud.
If he never knew initially, assuming there’s no reason to infer that, but he later became fully aware of the huge ramifications of his role when Hushy disclosed same to him or when the person he arrested explained it all to him but he elected to play along and did absolutely nothing to abate the crime, as a celebrated and Gbajabiamila decorated crime fighter.
Being a Participant to a crime and not necessarily for receiving bread is what gets you involved, indicted and stands you culpable as a criminal in scam racketeering.
FBI is not just nosing around looking for all those people that received urgent something, nor are they interested in you who traveled to Dubia to catch some cruise and do preeq business with Hushy. FBI no dey that lousy like your police here, invading people’s privacy by checking their phones and laptops.
Never!
They have your data and details already. Na them hold your serial number of that your Samsung and iPhone. Even your pin code dey. If you even off the phone, they’ll help you on am.
So don’t bother yourself.
