Blackmail and ‘Juju’ Threats: Retired EU Female Farmer Cries For Help After Losing €15,000 To Nigerian Scammer

“He plays with my emotions. Tells me he will die if I don’t send money now, now for sacrifice”. That was how a retired female farmer from Europe recount with a mix of emotions her over two years traumatic ordeal with a scammer who crookedly made her to part with over €15, 000.

Displaying various photos he sent her, Caroline (not her real name) claims she’s being harassed and manipulated by a man who pretended to be an Egyptian Sheikh and later posed as a Nigerian oracle priest, disguising his true identity.”

Caroline, a retired farmer with a passion for Africa, frequently browses Facebook, where she met the man who would become her nightmare in 2021. “We first connected on Facebook, and he messaged me,” she recalled. Unaware that her new acquaintance had fabricated his identity, they transitioned their conversation from Facebook to WhatsApp after exchanging phone numbers. During their ongoing chats, Caroline shared her health challenges and desire for spiritual guidance. “He persuaded me to perform a cleansing ritual,” Caroline explained.

He said he would perform the same prayer ritual for her children and somehow “he asked me to send a half nude video of myself, for the cleansing to work perfectly.

For reasons she couldn’t understand, she complied, even though she believed he had a supernatural hold on her, saying “he uses black power on me.” This meant that, despite never meeting in person, she felt under his spell. This marked the beginning of her harrowing experience with the suspected scammer.

Regrettably, Caroline said that since then, she has not known peace. She has been subjected to a relentless barrage of blackmail. The man who initially posed as an Egyptian Sheikh suddenly transformed into a Nigerian fraudster, who callously swindled her out of her earnings under the name ‘Paul Hassan Adema’.

She stated that the man’s psychological torture had left her feeling utterly exhausted and frustrated, to the point where her once-strong interest in Africa was dwindling. “He threatened to share the video with my family and on social media unless I sent him money,” she explained. “I sent money one day, only for him to demand more the next. It’s been a never-ending cycle.”

Caroline, who requested anonymity for security reasons, shared several photos with BIGPEN NIGERIA (https://bigpenngr.com) of the man she believed to be a genuine Egyptian spiritual leader, but later discovered was a scammer. She also shared disturbing images of “craved images” that he used to intimidate and panic her. He even threatened her life, saying, “If you don’t send the money by afternoon, I’ll take action, and you know what will happen.”

“Then I sent him €2000, reminding him of our agreement that he would delete the video,” Caroline recalled, reflecting on the harrowing experience. “But he came back again and again, demanding more and more money.”

In several screenshots seen by BIGPEN NIGERIA, Caroline realized she was being blackmailed and repeatedly asked her supposed friend turned con artist to leave her alone. However, he persisted, claiming he loved her. “You know I love you, I don’t want to die,” he said.

She sent series of screenshots filled with romantic declarations, such as “I love you” and “believe me”, he made in an attempt to convince her of his sincerity. However, she consistently rebuffed his advances, responding with phrases like “never again”, “I hate you”, and “you’re a bad man”. Their messaging exchange was marked by the scammer’s limited English proficiency and Arabic tone, leading to grammatical errors and struggles to convey his thoughts clearly. It could also be a pattern for online scammers.

In their chat, the suspected fraudster claimed he needed money for a ritual exercise to prevent his own death. He sent a picture of a ram he intended to buy for the prayer sacrifice and requested payment from her. “You won’t understand,” he said. “You’ll soon realize I love you. Buy a €750 card or €1500 to prevent the video from leaking,” he wrote, attempting to manipulate and coerce her into sending him money.

Caroline responded, “We had a deal; you were supposed to delete the video after I sent €2000.” But he countered, “A small problem has arisen. I need an additional €500 to resolve it.” He seemed to be referring to the €250 card he had already received or the supposed sacrifice he was performing, but his message was unclear.

A distraught Caroline asked, “How can I block you until you delete the video?” The man responded, “Pray that the gods accept and don’t demand more (money) again.” Caroline retorted, “It’s not God who wants more money, it’s you.”

“I will buy a kitchen (referring to chicken) to appease the gods,” he said. “You will buy a native kitchen (sacrifice). It costs $30, and then you’ll buy a €750 card tomorrow as you promised earlier.” An enraged Caroline asked hysterically, “Why should I buy a kitchen? You’re the one at home!” She unleashed a barrage of curses on him, “May Allah punish you! You’re a wicked man. Stolen money brings no blessings,” she added.

“Once you bring €500, I’ll delete it. Please buy €500,” he demanded. Caroline revealed that her tormentor would frequently threaten her, saying, “If you don’t buy a €500 card, I’ll increase it to €1500,” and he would persistently follow through on his threats, using fear to intimidate her. “I’ll pay €1500 DKK (Danish Kroner), I’ll pay a little every month until we’re done,” she pleaded with him.

In a voice interview with BIGPEN NIGERIA, Caroline revealed that she had sent approximately €15,000 to the fraudster, including payments made through cards, Western Union money transfers, and transactions conducted through a new generation bank in Nigeria.

Caroline, a hapless victim, reported that her attempts to report the fraudster to Nigerian law enforcement agencies have been futile. She said that all her emails to the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been met with automated responses, with no further action taken. Despite sending messages months ago, she has yet to receive a response or any assistance in recovering her losses or bringing the fraudster to justice.

Caroline alleged that the online scammer continues to harass her, despite her efforts to block him on WhatsApp. He persistently contacts her using new phone numbers, relentlessly pursuing her like a shadow. “Each time I block him, he uses another number,” Caroline explained. She feels embarrassed, vulnerable, and stalked, and is anxious about her family discovering the situation.

Submitted by Joe Ogbodu