Abuja Court Jails Fake Spiritualist One Year for Sextortion

Abuja Court Jails Fake Spiritualist One Year for Sextortion

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Solomon Odigie Moses, a fake spiritualist, to one year in prison after he defrauded an Indian woman seeking spiritual assistance and later allegedly used a secretly recorded nude video to blackmail and extort money from her.

Justice C.N. Nwabulu handed down the sentence on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after Moses pleaded guilty to a one-count charge bordering on cheating and impersonation as a spiritualist.

The case was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which told the court that Moses used a fictitious TikTok account to present himself as a spiritual leader known as “Dr Solomon”.

According to the anti-graft agency, Moses used the social media account to establish contact with an Indian woman identified as Sharon Kaur, who had approached him seeking spiritual healing, prayers and assistance.

Moses allegedly convinced Kaur that he could provide the spiritual help she needed and obtained $1,100 from her for the purported service.

The EFCC said the money was received through Moses’ Zelle payment platform, after which the naira equivalent was transferred into his local bank account.

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The investigation later led to Moses’ arrest in Ekpoma, Edo State, as investigators uncovered another dimension to the alleged fraud involving the victim’s intimate privacy.

The EFCC said Moses subsequently persuaded Kaur to participate in what he presented as a spiritual bath.

During the session, he allegedly caused her to appear naked and secretly recorded the session without her consent.

Moses then allegedly threatened to release the nude recording publicly unless Kaur paid him additional money.

The EFCC said its investigation established that the victim eventually paid another $1,100 to persuade Moses not to publish or distribute the footage.

The case therefore involved two separate payments of $1,100, according to the prosecution: the first allegedly obtained under the guise of providing spiritual services and the second allegedly paid after the victim was threatened with exposure of the intimate recording.

The charge before the court stated that Moses fraudulently impersonated a spiritual leader named Dr Solomon through a fictitious TikTok account and obtained $1,100 from Kaur under the guise of providing spiritual prayers and assistance.

The alleged offence was said to contravene Section 321 of the Penal Code Act applicable in the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under Section 322 of the same law.

When the charge was read to him, Moses pleaded guilty.

Following his plea, EFCC prosecution counsel, Maryam Hayatudeen, urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the law.

Justice Nwabulu subsequently sentenced Moses to one year imprisonment with an option of a N300,000 fine.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the $1,100 proceeds of crime to the victim through the EFCC.

The conviction highlights the risks associated with online fraud, social media impersonation and sextortion, particularly schemes in which fraudsters exploit people seeking emotional, spiritual or personal assistance.

The case also demonstrates how online deception can escalate into sexual blackmail, with perpetrators allegedly using private or intimate material obtained from victims as leverage to demand additional payments.

The authorities have continued to warn members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with unknown individuals online, particularly those who make claims of providing spiritual, financial or other specialised services through social media platforms.

Moses’ conviction adds to cases being prosecuted by the EFCC involving the use of digital platforms and false identities to defraud victims and obtain money.

Abuja Court Jails Fake Spiritualist One Year for Sextortion