A NIGERIAN national who helped defraud hundreds of UK students online has been ordered to pay back almost £630,000 after admitting she made £1.2million from her crimes.

On Monday (Sept 14), the Old Bailey heard how Ruth Smith-Ajala, 46, from Lambeth was jailed in December 2013 for her part in conning students out of more than £1.5m.

Students were sent emails inviting them to update details on their student loan account via a link to a bogus website.

When the site was accessed by the unsuspecting victims, a cyber crime gang gained unauthorised access to their bank accounts, stealing large amounts of money.

Smith-Ajala used her share of the cash to buy products in the UK, which she then shipped out for sale at a wholesaler in Lagos, Nigeria, that she owns.

During her trial, Smith-Ajala tried to convince the court that she was running a legitimate business but she was ultimately found guilty of conspiracy to launder money and mortgage fraud.

The mortgage fraud related to seven houses that Smith-Ajala was renting out in Gravesend, Northfleet and Chatam, in Kent; Grays, in Essex; and Catford, in London.

In conjunction with the investigation, specialist detectives from the Met’s Central Criminal Finance Team (CFT) launched a financial investigation. They and the Crown Prosecution Service obtained a restraint order for the properties and Smith-Ajala’s banks accounts were frozen, prohibiting her from selling the houses and hiding the money.

As a result of the confiscation proceedings, Smith-Ajala will now have to sell the houses, using the profits and rent money to pay the confiscation sum.

Detective inspector Pete Ward, of the CFT, said: "We won’t stop at seeing criminals convicted for their crimes - we will also make them pay back the money they have taken from their victims.

"It is ironic that Smith-Ajala helped defraud hundreds of students while paying for one of her own children to be privately educated.

The 46-year-old has just three months to pay back the money she obtained, or face a further five years in prison. If she doesn’t pay the money by the time she is out of prison, the order will remain and her finances will be scrutinized to ensure she continues to pay up.

http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/nigerian-fraudster-conned-students-out-%C2%A315m-online

Another bad news.

Too many negatives associated to us both home and abroad. These are the people that are making life difficult for Nigerians abroad.

Some people have the heart of stone, stealing from broke students to fund a lifestyle you don't deserve. They should have made her cough out the entire £1.5million. She deserves to spend no less than 20 years behind bars.

i smell conspiracy in play here

Yoloba again?

Another yoruba fraudster.

No day passes without yoloba getting involved in crime.

Suferisticated yoliba fraudsters

See her fat face and cheeks stuffed with amala.


Tufia!

Wickedness at its peak

I have to admit I just came to check the name , that's what Nairaland tribalists have done to my psyche

She looks Yorubian

Where the hell is obinoscopy? That guy just disappear!!

Okay,nezt

Hmmmm

name watch . drug traffickers= , UK scammers= , terrorists= . pls say no to tribalism

Thank God its Friday!

Please help me check


Does she have tribal marks??

SenseiX:
I have to admit I just came to check the name , that's what Nairaland tribalists have done to my psyche

And u we're not disappointed.

Its yoloba again and always


Dem no get rivals for crime matter

Sebi Na for UK
Na we Yorubas e go be.

But wait oo! Na woman?


Omo Yoruba ni mi o. SWAGGER

Ok na...... let's go there

Where are my follow name checkers ?

alright

Crime owes no allegiance to any tribe anybody can commit crime. If she won an Olympic medal they won't call her Nigerian

Tribal warlords over to you

All I see is a big lips lady doing a photo op,where is she in court?

Gosh

SenseiX:
I have to admit I just came to check the name , that's what Nairaland tribalists have done to my psyche

same here. Make I no lie

She is a thief






And a big one that decides to dupe youngsters...

I know it must be Yoruba!!!! Fraudsters. From Awolowo to Tinubu and co.