A Second Prosecution Witness (PW2), Michael Eyo, in the trial of Victor Ekpong Thompson, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, presided over by Justice Maurine Adaobi Onyetenu, that the defendant forged his mining licence and used the forged document to defraud three American investors: Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad, and Peter Jensen, to the tune of $525,276.
Thompson was first arraigned on January 29, 2026, on eight counts bordering on conspiracy, advance fee fraud, criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, and stealing, to which he pleaded “not guilty”.
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Victor Ekpong Thompson, on or between January 2025 and June 2025 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with 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 (joint unsuspecting investors), under the pretense of investing the money in mining of mineral resources and a Deep Sea Port business, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
While addressing the court, Eyo stated that he owned a mining site located in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. He further testified that the defendant tricked him into releasing his mining licence, photographed it, and used it as his own to defraud unsuspecting investors.
“The fraudster asked me to bring the original copy of my licence to verify its authenticity. Thereafter, he snapped the licence, not knowing he was doing so in order to forge it and convince investors,” he said.
Defence counsel, Madu Uwem Amamko, had earlier moved a motion for bail on health grounds, which was opposed by the prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin, on the basis that the defendant’s health was not in danger.
After listening to arguments from both counsel, Justice Onyetenu reserved ruling on the bail application until June 8, 2026.
Earlier in the trial on March 26, 2026, one of the defrauded investors, Tammy Jensen, while giving evidence-in-chief, recounted how she met Thompson on Facebook in August 2022, and how he represented himself as a dealer in precious stones. She stated that he persuaded her and other investors to fund a mining project under a proposed company, Arch Royale Projects Limited, to be situated in Iwuru Community, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.
She further told the court that Thompson also introduced an additional investment opportunity in a Deep Sea Port project in Akwa Ibom State, which promised substantial returns. According to her, between 2023 and 2025, a total of $525,276 was transferred to Thompson’s bank account. She said her visit to the site revealed that the entire arrangement was a fraudulent scheme designed to defraud her and other investors.
Thompson’s arrest stemmed from a petition dated October 18, 2025, filed on behalf of a group of foreign investors from the United States of America, namely Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad, Peter Jensen, Beth Southwick, and Angie Craven.
According to the petition, Thompson allegedly contacted Tammy Jensen on August 20, 2022, via Facebook, presenting himself as a legitimate businessman involved in the exploration of precious stones such as emerald, ruby, and sapphire. He reportedly gained the trust of Jensen and her associates by presenting false credentials and convincing them to invest in a mining venture and a purported Deep Sea Port project.
In the mining scheme, Thompson allegedly introduced Arch Royale Projects Limited as an operational company, despite knowing that it was not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission at the time. He claimed to have secured a mining site in Iwuru Community, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. Investigations showed that he inflated operational costs, withheld funds meant for workers, and used staged photographs and fabricated updates to sustain the deception.
Similarly, in the Deep Sea Port scheme, Thompson allegedly claimed involvement in a $6.7 billion project, invoking the names of senior government officials to mislead investors. He reportedly requested $110,000 as documentation fees, falsely claiming that other required funds had already been provided by government officials.
In total, the petitioners allegedly transferred $525,276 between June 2023 and August 2025 through Wells Fargo Bank, Chase Bank, WorldRemit, and into accounts linked to him.
Suspicion intensified when Jensen visited Nigeria in June 2025 and discovered inconsistencies in Thompson’s claims.
Investigations also revealed that substantial portions of the funds were diverted for personal use. Assets traced to Thompson include a two-storey duplex at Shelter Afrique Estate, Uyo; a Toyota Hilux; and a grey Lexus RX 350.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
May 21, 2026
