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Nigerian con man nabbed for role in US currency scam

An African who calls himself "Jeff" and "a prince of a Nigerian tribe," was arrested by officers from the Ta-an Police Station late Wednesday night for allegedly conning nearly US$100,000 out of a Taipei resident by using fake US dollar bills.

Called by the Taipei resident, surnamed Lee, the policemen went to Lee's apartment, where the Nigerian man -- who was identified as Ezeogu Izucjulwu Edmonde by his yet-to-be-verified passport -- was talking with Lee about further payments for the purchase of chemicals which were to be used to restore some US$2 million in blackened bills to their original appearance.

The police search found Jeff's suitcase, which they said contained US$2 million in counterfeit bills.

According to Lee, he met Jeff -- along with another African named "Johnson" -- near the Taipei Grand Mosque on Hoping East Road several days ago. Lee said Jeff told him that he was actually an African prince who was in something of a predicament.

Although Jeff said he was in possession of US$2 million in cash -- funds that were part of a US aid package to Nigeria, he said -- he could not use the bills as they had been "cursed" and had all turned black. Jeff claimed that only by soaking the bills in a certain chemical solution could the bills regain their original color and then be spendable, Lee said.

Jeff told Lee was a golden opportunity for him to become a millionaire simply by spending US$150,000 to purchase the chemical solution, Lee said.

Lee paid Jeff US$93,500 over the past several days, but it seemed that the deal had stagnated. The US$2 million was to have been split among the three men, Lee said.

Feeling something was not right, Lee invited Jeff to his home while alerting police of their meeting.

Police are investigating the case and believe that Jeff and Johnson, who is still at large, are only part of an international crime ring looking for easy marks.
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