Nigerian authorities have arrested Amb. Wilfred Bonse, a Nigerian politician, on allegations of theft and money laundering in connection with a recent hack of cryptocurrency trading platform Patricia Technologies Ltd.
According to spokesperson ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Bonse allegedly helped launder 50 million naira ($62,368) out of 607 million naira ($757,151) stolen from Patricia’s platform into his personal account through a crypto wallet. The arrest comes after an NPF investigation into the hack of Patricia’s systems in May, which resulted in customer fund losses.
Patricia CEO Hanu Fejiro Abgodje reacted positively to the news, stating it vindicates the company after some initially doubted the veracity of the hack.
“This is a big relief. We have finally been vindicated as not a few disbelieved us that our platform was hacked in the first place. But thanks to the diligence of the Nigerian Police and the unwavering commitment of my colleagues, we are delighted that our customers now have more reason to continue to trust us. The dark days are over” – he said via a statement.
Moreover, Bonse was contesting for political office in southern Nigeria before his detainment. While investigations continue, authorities say other suspects remain at large but will face arrest and punishment for their criminal conspiracy.
Despite the hack and fallout, Patricia still plans to move ahead with its customer repayment schedule starting Nov. 20. The company aims to regain consumer trust after the breach compromised sensitive user data.
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