Obinwanne Okeke, the 32-year-old CEO of Invictus Group and Forbes-rated young Nigerian billionaire, is currently facing charges of computer and wire fraud in the United States. He has filed a preliminary objection to the charges, stating that the American authorities lack jurisdiction to charge him for fraud as he did not commit the offense in America, nor defraud any American companies or individuals at the time of his indictment.
The businessman’s lawyers have requested the case to be struck out, arguing that the arrest should never have occurred. They pointed out that the prosecutors only cited his alleged swindling of Unatrac, a subsidiary of American equipment manufacturer ‘Caterpillar,’ of $11 million in the indictment. They also stated that FBI agents accessed his mobile phones and laptops illegally, which they claim should be reason enough to dismiss the charges.
In response, FBI prosecutors disagreed with the arguments put forth by Okeke’s lawyers. They stated that the allegations of no American companies or individuals being defrauded are incorrect, and that more victims of American citizenship and residency will be introduced during the trial. The prosecutors also noted that evidence collected from Okeke’s phone cannot be dismissed, as it only corroborated evidence already collected in the year-long investigation into his alleged involvement in the $11 million fraud.
The prosecutors further emphasized that Okeke had willingly agreed to let authorities search his devices by providing passwords to them, and that his education and extensive travel experience suggest that he knew the implications of submitting his passwords for federal agents to collect information.
The trial, which was initially set to commence on February 18, has been adjourned due to the defense team’s preliminary objections. A new date for the commencement of the trial will be determined by both parties in the future.