An American man from Ohio State has been convicted of fraud after he swindled at least 14 people of $800,000 while posing as a Ghanaian prince.
According to a CNN report, Daryl Harisson, who faces up to 20 years in prison, adopted the alias Prince Daryl Attipoe, claiming to have connections to African mining and trucking companies.
Harrison was convicted of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and witness tampering by a federal jury.
Join Our WhatsApp Channel for Exclusive Stories, News Reports, and Engaging Content. {Click Here}
The Justice Department in a statement, revealed that Harrison and his step-father who is still awaiting trial, claimed they were ministers with Power House of Prayer Ministries, a group that financially supported “religious services in various church facilities and private residences” in Ohio and Colorado.
ALSO READ: WAEC reveals why it withheld some results
ALSO READ: 36 states grow combined IGR by N360bn to N1.67tn in 2 years
According to the statement, Harrison lied to his investors, many of who were his church members, that he was a Ghanaian prince with links to African mining companies which could fetch investors returns of up to 33%.
Unfortunately for the investors, Harrison and his step-father went on a splurging spree, purchasing properties and luxury cars.
A 2020 indictment further stated that they “unjustly enriched themselves and PHOP by soliciting monies from investors using false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises, and converting those monies for defendants’ personal benefit and for the benefit of PHOP without the knowledge or authorization of the investors.
“Failing to provide investors with interest payments, routinely terminated all communications with investors, ignored individual investor inquiries, and ignored demands from investors seeking the return of investment monies.“