EFCC re-arrests Mompha over ‘money laundering’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arrested Ismailia Mustapha, better known as Mompha, over alleged money laundering.

The commission is accusing the popular socialite of laundering funds obtained through unlawful activities and retaining proceeds of crime.

Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s spokesperson, in a statement on Monday, said funds allegedly linked to fraud were traced to the suspect’s mobile device.

“The account of one of his companies, Ismalob Global Investment Limited Bank, a Bureau de Change company, domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc, was allegedly used to launder funds derived from unlawful activities,” the statement reads.

“Investigation has revealed a fraudulent transfer slip of $92,412.75 found in the suspect’s iPhone 8 device. He will soon be charged to court.”

Mompha is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside Ismalob Global Investment, his firm, at a federal high court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on a 14-count charge bordering on alleged cyber fraud and money laundering to the tune of N33 billion.

He was first arrested on October 19, 2019, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

He was later released after the federal high court in Ikoyi, Lagos granted him bail in the sum of N100 million in bond.

In August 2020, he filed a N5 million lawsuit against the EFCC after he was re-arrested by the anti-graft agency when he went to pick up items seized from him at the time.

But the EFCC had said Mompha’s arrest at the time was not connected to the earlier charges against him.

In October 2021, the EFCC had secured the interim forfeiture of five pairs of designer sunglasses, five luxury wristwatches, and an iPhone 8 taken from Mompha.

The designer glasses include Dsquared sunglasses, Tomford-TF586 sunglasses, Cartier-B17C76B sunglasses, Montblanc-MB0045S sunglasses, and Louis Vuitton-Z1186E sunglasses.

The five luxury watches include a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Audemars Piguet, Audemars Piguet-J46220, XY Hublot-1321920, and an XY Hublot-924206.

Mompha had also threatened to sue the anti-graft agency over what he described as a “libellous” publication in connection with the case brought against him.