Oil Fraud Conviction: Man Sentenced for $1 Million Scam

A man operating under the name David Udensik (also known as Dr. Jacob Bello) has been convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja. The conviction is tied to his involvement in an international oil fraud scheme valued at over $1 million.

This information was released by the national Police Force on Tuesday.

Details of the Transnational Fraud

The conviction followed a petition filed by an energy company based in the United States. The company accused the suspect of illegally obtaining funds. The fraud was carried out under the guise of arranging legitimate crude oil transactions in Nigeria.

Investigations were launched by operatives of the national Cybercrime Centre. These inquiries revealed that Udensik led a criminal network operating between 2018 and 2023.

Udensik was found to have forged documents, which he claimed were issued by the National Petroleum Company and other key regulatory platforms. He used these counterfeit records to mislead the victim company.

Evidence and Sentencing

The Police Force statement confirmed details of the criminal network:

“The suspect… operated a coordinated criminal network that forged documents purportedly emanating from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other regulatory platforms to deceive the victim company.”

Forensic analysis confirmed that the seals, official papers, and authentication materials used in the transactions were fake. Funds traced from the deal were allegedly diverted into various accounts linked to the suspect and his collaborators.

The court delivered its judgment on October 22, 2025. Udensik was found guilty of multiple charges, including forgery, obtaining funds by false pretense, and money laundering.

Police Commitment

The Inspector-General of Police publicly commended the officers who managed the investigation and prosecution. He affirmed the Police Force’s commitment to protecting the nation’s corporate integrity.

The statement concluded that the force will ensure cyber-enabled financial criminals, regardless of their status or location, face justice.

This conviction marks another success in the ongoing national clampdown on sophisticated financial and transnational oil fraud. Over the past decade, numerous foreign firms have been targeted by similar scams involving forged crude oil sale documents and individuals impersonating government officials.

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