The trial of Wawe Eseoghene Nelson, also known as James Andrew Shmit and Philip Bradley, commenced on Thursday before Justice Aliyu Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja.
Nelson, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 11, 2025, faces an 11-count charge of advance fee fraud, impersonation, conspiracy, and obtaining money under false pretenses.
The alleged fraud, amounting to $968,000, was reportedly obtained from two United States citizens, Kathleen Sharp and Holly Stamm, according to the statement issued on Saturday by the commission.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the EFCC presented its first prosecution witness, Kathleen Sharp. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Maryam Aminu Ahmed, Sharp recounted how the defendant, posing as an engineer working for BP Oil in the Gulf of Mexico, lured her into sending money for a supposed petroleum project.
“I was contacted by the EFCC, who informed me that I had been defrauded by someone using the name James Andrew Shmit. We communicated over social media, and he convinced me that he needed financial assistance because he could not access his personal funds. He promised to repay me once the project was completed,” Sharp told the court.
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According to her, she transferred a total of $183,000 to Nelson in three installments: $45,500, $131,000, and $7,000. She added that he later attempted to get an additional $10,000 from her, but she refused.
“I have not received my money back. The picture he used on his profile showed a man with brown hair and white skin. I want a refund of my investment, and he should be prosecuted for his actions,” she testified.
The EFCC alleges that Nelson defrauded Sharp and another US citizen, Holly Stamm, under similar pretenses. One of the charges against him states that he fraudulently obtained $155,000 from Sharp through Chase Bank while pretending to be a petroleum engineer involved in an oil project.
Another charge accuses him of defrauding Stamm of $120,000 in Bitcoin under the same guise.
Nelson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Justice Halilu adjourned the case to April 16, 2025, for cross-examination of the witness.
