A popular Nigerian socialite and an partner in crime with Hushpuppi, Mr. Woodberry has been jailed eight years by a U.S court.
Mr. Woodberry, who’s real name is Jacob Olalekan Ponle has slapped with 8years and three months in prison for his coordination of a multimillion-dollar fraud by a federal judge in the United States, Chicago.
Judge Robert Gettleman of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago pronounced his final judgement on Woodberry’s fraud case on July 11, 2023.
“The defendant is hereby committed to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to be imprisoned for a total term of 100 months as to count,” The People’s Gazette quoted Mr Gettleman to have said.
According to the report, Mr. Ponle was sentenced after being found guilty on one count of fraud while the remaining seven counts were dropped as part of a plea deal in April.
In order to be transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, where his family, particularly his American fiancée, would be permitted to visit him, the Judge ordered Mr. Ponle to present himself to the U.S. Marshal Service.
Mr. Woodberry will also be “surrendered to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for deportation immediately following his incarceration”, the judge said.
The website states that the court determined that the Nigerian-born fraudster has the financial means to make the full payment and has waived all interest on the restitution value. He will pay seven victims a total of about $8 million in restitution.
Meanwhile, in other news, on July 11, 2023, seasoned Nollywood actress Cynthia Okereke was officially declared dead.
This occurred a year after the actress and her coworker Clemson Cormel were freed from the kidnappers’ den.
Joseph Okechukwu, a colleague in the entertainment business, broke the sad news. The filmmaker claimed that he was about to purchase Cynthia Okereke’s airline ticket to travel to America when she tragically passed away on Tuesday night.
