*Victor Ekpong Thompson*
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of one Victor Ekpong Thompson has told a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, how the defendant allegedly forged a mining licence and used it to defraud American investors of over $525,000.
The development was disclosed in a statement posted on the official X handle of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.
The second prosecution witness, Michael Eyo, told the court presided over by Justice Maurine Adaobi Onyetenu that Thompson tricked him into releasing his original mining licence, photographed it, and then used the forged document to convince unsuspecting investors.
Eyo, who owns a mining site in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, said the defendant requested to verify the authenticity of his licence, only to secretly snap it for fraudulent purposes.
“The fraudster asked me to bring the originals of my licence to verify the authenticity. Thereafter, he snapped the licence not knowing that he was doing it to forge and convince the investors,” Eyo testified.
Thompson was first arraigned on January 29, 2026, on eight counts including conspiracy, advance fee fraud, criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, and stealing. He pleaded “not guilty” to all charges.
One of the charges reads: “That you Victor Ekpong Thompson, on or between January 2025 to June 2025 in Nigeria, with the intent to defraud, did fraudulently obtain the total sum of One Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand and Thirty United States Dollars ($123,030) from Tammy Jensen, Peter Jensen, Kenneth Blad and others under the pretense of investing the money in mining of Mineral Resources and Deep Sea Port Business.”
Earlier during the trial on March 26, 2026, one of the defrauded investors, Tammy Jensen, recounted how she met Thompson on Facebook in August 2022, where he presented himself as a dealer in precious stones including emerald, ruby, and sapphire.
She testified that Thompson persuaded her and other investors to fund a mining project under the proposed company, Arch Royale Projects Limited, to be situated in Iwuru Community, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. He later introduced an additional investment opportunity in a Deep Sea Port project in Akwa Ibom State, promising substantial returns.
According to Jensen, between 2023 and 2025, an aggregate sum of $525,276 was transferred to Thompson’s bank account through Wells Fargo Bank, Chase Bank, WorldRemit, and other accounts linked to him. However, upon arriving at the site in June 2025, she discovered inconsistencies in his claims and realized the entire arrangement was a bogus scheme.
Thompson’s arrest stemmed from a petition dated October 18, 2025, filed on behalf of five American investors: Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad, Peter Jensen, Beth Southwick, and Angie Craven.
Investigations revealed that Thompson allegedly inflated operational costs, withheld funds meant for workers, and used staged photographs alongside fabricated updates to sustain the deception. In the Deep Sea Port scheme, he reportedly claimed involvement in a $6.7 billion project, invoking names of senior government officials to mislead investors.
Assets traced to Thompson include a two-storey duplex at Shelter Afrique Estate, Uyo, a Toyota Hilux, and a grey Lexus RX350.
Defence counsel, Madu Uwem Amamko, moved a motion for bail on health grounds, which prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin opposed, arguing that the defendant’s health was not in any danger.
Justice Onyetenu reserved ruling on bail until June 8, 2026.
The case continues.
