They call me MISTER Kwaku!
They call me MISTER Kwaku!
By
David Codrea
I was spammed by an Internet crook trying to pull the “419” scam, so named for
the Nigerian criminal statute it violates.
Basically, petty con artists send out mass mailings hoping to gain the
trust of gullible marks by promising them a fortune, and then trick them into
sending “expense” money.
Rather than just deleting the message, or forwarding it to the Treasury Department, which generally
archives them with no real action, I decided to have some fun with it and see
where playing with the guy would lead.
As he indicated he was from Ghana, this required about an hour of Internet
research so that I would have a base of cultural information to establish a new
identity as a fellow African.
-----Original
Message-----
From:
franky samora [mailto: frankysamora@yahoo.fr
]
To: David
Codrea
Subject:
asisstance
From
Mr.FRANKY SAMORA.
Dear
sir,
How are
you today I hope that you are alrigt. Before elucidating further, I think it
will be fit this writing if i at this
juncture introduce my
self. I am the only son of MR.RICHARD
Samora PEPRAH who happend to be
the former finance minister in Ghana during president JERRY
RAWLINGS administration.
However
a new elected president Mr J.A.Kufour has taken over the mantle of leadership in our country
and he has sworn to bring to book
all corrupt
officials
who enriched themselves during the past regimes.wich
he ordered
that
no minister should travel out. Then my
father wes trying to
move out
of
the country before the probing will start he wes latter caught he is
now
in detention.my father
instructed me to leave the country
for safety
and
start up a buisness in
overseas with the total sum of TWENTY
FIVE
MILLION
U.S $ DOLLARS only [$25,000.000.00].
Actually
I don’t know you and I have never seen you before but I got your
contact
from a diplomat friend of my father in GHANA whom I met at trade
fair
complex here in Senegal who assured me of your capability in handling
an
international transaction though he is not a ware of this my proposal
to
you.
And i
have all the relevant documents that covers the fund deposited by
my
father with my name in
a security & trus company here in
senegal wich i
will
send to you on request.
Note
that this transaction demands the highest trust and confidence between
us,
moreover it is risk free in the sense that I have taken proper care of
all formalities
regarding this transaction for your assistance
and
co-operation.
I have decided to give you 15% of the total
sum involved
and
5%will be used to offset any
expenses that will be incurred by both
parties.
As soon
as the transfer is effected, and the amount mentioned above is
successfully
transferred into your private or companys account I intend
to
use my own share to
invester in your country.
Thanks
From Mr
Franky Samora.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: asisstance
Mr.
Franky Samora,
Thanks
be to God you speak English. With nine
government-sponsored languages and 26 non-official languages, I could at least
make a decent attempt to communicate with you in Akan or Dagaare/Waale, possibly
even Gonja or western region Nzema. I
was afraid for a moment you might be one of those Tutkepne and Nkwanta Adele
speakers, or God forbid, Vagla or Wali, and then we should indeed be lost!
In any
case, I should be delighted to assist in the financial transactions you most
wisely brought to my attention. Please
communicate the most convenient way to transmit my bank account and PIN numbers
so that we may effect the required transfers without delay.
I am
sure you will join me in this most noble sentiment:
Hail
to thy name, O Ghana
To
thee we make our solemn vow;
Steadfast
to build together
A
nation strong in Unity;
With
our gifts of mind and strength of arm,
Whether
night or day, in the midst of storm,
In
every need whate'er the call may be,
To
serve thee, Ghana, now and evermore.
Looking
forward to serving thee, Mr. Franky Samora,
Your
servant for a greater Ghana,
David
"Kwaku Afriyie"[1]
Codrea
----Original Message-----
From: franky samora
To: David Codrea
Subject: RE: asisstance
Dear David,
Thanks for your quick response to my request
and also your interest and willingness to help me,the Almighty God will surely
bless and reward you for that.
The first phase of this transaction as you
may know from my first letter to you is to bring out this money from the
security company where it was deposited for onward transfers.in this regard i
want you to liase with the company on my behalf as my foreign partner for the
most safest and easiest means of transferring this money.
consiquently,i you agree on this,then i will
need your private tel/fax numbers to enable me send to you the deposit
documents that covers the money so that we can start in earnest.
Before i stop i will like to if you are a
Gannean because you pleased me so much by that noble and beloved pledge.
Thanks & my dearest regards to your
family,waiting to hear from you soon.
Yours very truly,
FRANKY
SAMORA.
-----Original
Message-----
From: David
Codrea
To: 'franky
samora'
Subject:
RE: asisstance
My
esteemed new friend Mr. Franky Samora,
I hope I
am not being presumptuous? Please, I
should be honored if you would address me as Kwaku.
Regrettably,
I cannot claim the honor of Ghanean nativity.
I was born into the Dacian[2]
tribe, of which you may have heard, but my admiration for the most noble people
from your blessed Motherland is without peer.
While
privileged to attend Kwame Nkrumah University of Science &
Technology, I had the honor of attending Adaekese, perhaps the most spectacular
of all the festivals in Ghana. As you know, it attracts the largest gathering
and its exhibition of the Golden Stool in full splendor next to the King of the
Ashantis, is a sight to behold. I was permitted to assist in the Ga
delegation's sprinkling of kpekpele, a tradition from Homowo by the people of
greater Akra which I am sure you hold in special reverence and favor.
You may
contact me at your convenience. I am
providing to you in compliance with your inquiry my expeditious contacting
information:
You may
send a facsimile transmission to me with the required forms at:
202-452-3819. My personal telephone
number is: 202-452-3245.[3]
Mr.
Franky Samora, please do not let me down.
I could tell you what happened when an insincere individual from Nigeria
attempted to abuse my confidence, but aiee! What can you say about unscrupulous
people-- they are goats and sons of goats.
You, however, I perceive as forthright in conviction, a man I can
sincerely trust. I am most humbly
honored to begin our mutual path to prosperity, and look forward to your
favorable reply.
Me ho wo
ekyene[4],
Kwaku
-----Original Message-----
From: franky samora
To: David Codrea
Subject: RE: asisstance
Dear Kwaku,
I am very happy to know that at last the
Almighty God has joined us together as brothers to tread this pros perious
pedestrian for i believe we are brothers though not a gannean but for your
love and admiration for my people i
consider you one.based on this I promise that i will not in any away humanly let
you down,forget about unscrupulous,society diliquents and
impostors who believe they can get something
out of nothing,(they are at best
described as furtune hunters or gold diggers)but fate musn't fail to catch-up
with them.they will innevitably meet their doom someday for Bible made us to understand
that the wicked shall not go unpunished.
My dear brother,i wanted this trasaction
concluded asap to enable me leave this country.therefore i have a concrete
arrangement with the financial controller of the security company where the
money was deposited to ship the consignment to their correspondence offices in
london,spain or holland.this arrangement is to make sure that this money leaves
africa before anything ugly happens to it,ofcourse i don't need to go too
far,good enough you know africa too well.a place where anything can happen
anytime.
Based on the light of the above therefore,if
will go to any of this three places to recieve the money,please do not hesitate
to get me abreasted so
that i will instruct them to proceed with
shipping arrangements.
Thanks and best regards,looking forward to
hearing from you soonest.
Yours very truly,
FRANKY.
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: asisstance
My
illustrious new brother Mr. Franky Samora,
God
bless our homeland Ghana,
And
make our nation great and strong,
Bold
to defend for ever
The
cause of Freedom and of Right;
Fill
our hearts with true humility,
Make
us cherish fearless honesty,
And
help us to resist oppressors' rule
With
all our will and might for evermore.
I would
like to share with you a jest, told to me by an educated gentleman from
Sekondi.
It seems
a poor Navrongo guineacorn farmer wished to marry his daughter to the eldest
son of a prominent man. The prominent
man quite naturally required a substantial dowry of one fine she-goat and a
spool of copper wire.
Having
no she-goat, the farmer, who was unscrupulous, disguised his young son in a
goat skin. "Do not worry, he told
the boy. "When evening comes and
the man falls asleep, you can slip the rope from your neck and escape back to
our home. As he will have received his
payment, he can make no further claim against us and will be required to
proceed with the marriage."
The
young boy did as he was told and the transaction was effected without
incident. But that night, instead of
going to sleep, the prominent man (who had tired of his fat wife) went outside
to claim his right and privilege as master of the fine new she-goat. When he grabbed the beast, imagine his
surprise when the skin came off revealing a boy instead of a goat!
The boy
was terrified, for he feared a beating, and started to run. But the prominent man just grabbed his arm,
laughed and said: "O! Be mo jege-m. Ko gara. Amo ye pipinu. A bara!!!”[5]
Oh, my
ribs-- they ache with mirth!
I, like
you, my brother, am eager to conclude this transaction. I leave it to you to designate the
appropriate consignment office-- whether London, Spain or Holland-- I
shall trust to your superior experience in this matter and do as you
instruct. I have provided you with my
telephone and facsimile numbers in order to expeditiously advance to our next
stage in this most prosperous transaction.
Please send me the required documents without delay.
Tor,
A ke lei naa.[6]
Your
brother,
David
Kwaku Afriyie Codrea
-----Original
Message-----
From: franky samora
To: David Codrea
Subject: RE: asisstance
My dear
brother,
I
recieved your mail,contents are duly noted.i really enjoyed your story
it is an interesting one,in summary,
what counts in life is once view and outlook to life "the Word of God 'bible' has finalized everything "evil begot
evil while good begot good" it's
now left for man to decide on which side he wants to operate on in planet earth.
I will
go to the security company tomorrow first thing in the morning to clear
the demurrage being incured by the
deposit upon which i will instruct them to proceed with the transfers.i will send you the deposit informations upon my return
from the company,if you recieve
the documents endeavour to get me posted immediately for confirmation.
Thanks
and remain bless
Yours
very truly,
FRANKY.
-----Original
Message-----
From:
franky samora
To: David
Codrea
Subject:
RE: informations needed!
Dear
David,
Compliments
of the day.i just want to give this mail to get you posted with
developments this morning in the
security company.
This
morning,i submitted a letter of nomination and power of attorney in your
favor,this two legal backed documents
depicks a formal presentation of your person to the company as my foreign partner who will receive the consignment on my behalf
in europe.consiquently,the
foreign operations director insisted that i should confirm from you whether you will recieve the consignment when it gets over
to europe and also for you
to choose one of these three countries that will be more convinient for you.
The
account department is computing the demurrage balance,i will get back
there after this mail to know if
they have finish so that i will pay the money.
I expect
immediate response to this mail so that i will give the company feed
back before close of work today
and also to enable me mount pressure on them to see if they could include our consignment in their saturday shipment.
Looking
forward to hearing from you soonest,
Best
regards,
FRANKY.
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: informations needed!
My
friend,
Then I
will choose London-- please tell me where I shall receive this
consignment. You have my telephone and
facsimile number. Please immediately
forward required documents to my attention.
Saturday shall pose a problem for arranging needed transportation---
unless I hear from you immediately, I cannot possibly make all travel
arrangements in time.
What is
the address and establishment that I am to go to? Who is the contact I should seek?
Please,
my brother and friend, address these concerns with your utmost diligence. My eagerness trembles.
DKAC
-----Original Message-----
From: franky samora
To: David Codrea
Subject: RE: informations needed!
My dear brother and friend,
Before replying this your mail,i have gone to
the company to instruct them to commence with the shipment as i told you in my
last mail.all the necessary
arrangements are in top gear to ensure that
the consignments leaves by saturday,hopefully,if all things being equal the
consignment will be in london on sunday.
Their correspondence in london will contact
you as soon as the consignment gets to their custody.
I have tried to fax the documents across to
you without luck,is like there is a communocation problem.however,i will leave
no stone unturned to see that the documents gets to you this evening.
Thanks and remain bless,
FRANKY.
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: informations needed!
Of
course, my brother. Please keep
trying-- I know the number is working, because I just received a correspondence
transmittal from my brother in Akosombo-- he is an engineer who works at the
dam there.
I just
want to say how grateful I am that you have chosen to give me your affection
and confidence. Please let me know when
you will require my banking information to effect the transference. I do worry about you though-- you are taking
such bold risks-- do you have enough now on hand to cover your expenses? Please let me know if you require any
assistance in this regard. You have
already done so much for me, I should like you to view me as a resource you may
count on.
David
Kwaku Afiyie Codrea
-----Original Message-----
From: franky samora
To: David Codrea
Subject: RE: informations needed!
Dear Brother,
How are you today? hope fine.to start with,i
musn't fail to express my gratitude towards your concern for me and your
eagerness to see that this transaction is successfully actuallised.
I just want to know whether you receive the
documents because i fulfilled my promise by sending it last night so try to
check your fax quickly to avoid the documents being taking by another person,and
try to reach me for confirmation of receipt
I have paid the demurrage balance this
morning,i will fax you the receipt for your perusal,the consignment is
scheduled to be carried to the courrier company later this evening against
tommorows shipment.
Bye for now and remain bless,waiting to hear
from you soon.
Yours Brother,
FRANKY.
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: informations needed!
My dear
Franky,
Alas, I
have received no documents. Perhaps there
is a problem with transmission, because I am certain I gave you the number I
want them sent to. No matter-- if they
can be faxed, they can be scanned and sent as a file over the Internet via
email. Please advise if you can do
this. Otherwise, I will also make
immediate arrangements to procure a different fax number. I understand that such is available.
This is
what we used to call "M'Ufree's Law" in my homeland: When you go to milk a buffalo, you more often
than not find a lion in the boma.
Aiee.
We shall
persist.
David
Kwaku
-----Original Message-----
From: franky samora
To: David Codrea
Subject: RE: situation report!
Dear David,
I hope you are fine together with your
family.i called you last night and got a woman believed to be your wife who
told me to hang on for you unfortunately the line went off and i treid to call
back without luck.it is sometimes difficult to call out from here because of
network problem.i gave you email last night informing you that i have sent the
documents.
After weighing the consignment this
morning,the courrier service said that they will carry the consignment with
US$3.500.after paying the demurrage
and othe charges,i was left with just 3000
dollars.should i use this money to offset the shipping charge,i will be left
with no money for my feeding and
hotel bills.please advice me on this
precarious situation because i want this consignment to leave dakar today.
It is partinent that i have your physical
contact address and also a letter of invitation to enable me apply for visa to
come over.
Thanking you for your maximum cooperation and
understanding,while looking forward to hearing from you soonest
Yours faithfully,
FRANKY.
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: situation report!
Mr.
Franky Samora,
This is
David's wife Millicent Kiwitu. Was it
you who called last night?
Why have
the police come for my Kwaku? Why have
they taken him away? Why were they
asking him about you?
Kwaku
has been very secretive of late. I have
just now been reading his correspondences with you.
My
husband has never been in trouble before.
Now they will not let me speak with him.
We have no money for an attorney--I checked our account and Kwaku has
withdrawn $3,500 leaving us with not even enough money for the rent due next
week. Did he send these funds to you?
I
suspect, Mr. Franky Samora, that you have been up to no good. My husband is an honest man. I have seen him walk 20 km to return a goat.
What
shall become of us? Who will care for
our children, David Kwaku Jr. and little Akuba Cudjoe[7],
she who is beyond consolation?
Mr.
Franky Samora, I must insist that you right whatever wrong you have
committed. You must come forward
immediately and assure the authorities that my Kwaku has done nothing wrong.
Aiee,
have you brought a curse upon our house, Mr. Franky Samora? Has my husband's crime been to place his
trust in you?
WHAT
HAVE YOU DONE, Mr. Franky Samora?
Mrs.
Millicent Kiwitu Codrea
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: situation report!
Franky
Samora-- how do you explain THIS? Who
will come forward to help my Kwaku?
Why are
you silent?
Mrs.
Millicent Kiwitu Codrea
ATTACHMENT:
Local Man Held in Money Solicitation
Scheme
Scandal: African Immigrant caught in Internet Sting. International authorities seeking ringleader.
By D. NICHOLAS
Tribune Staff Writer
Police today conducted an
early morning raid on a South Park apartment complex, seizing records and arresting
an African Immigrant.
David Kwaku Afriyie Codrea,
32, was taken into custody by officers from the Fraud Investigative Unit on
suspicion of soliciting stolen funds.
Codrea had been monitored for the past week, assistant inspector Barry
Hines told The Tribune, when email correspondences with an as yet
unidentified party triggered key word filters in the Carnivore scanning system.
David “Kwaku Afriyie”
Codrea- Police File Photo[8]
“My husband is innocent,” the
suspect’s wife, Millicent Kiwitu Codrea sobbed.
“He has been framed by evil men,” she added, saying she had turned over
copies of all e-mail correspondences to the police.
“We have a pretty good idea
who is behind this,” Hines confirmed, and have alerted authorities to a second
suspect, believed to be the initiator of the scheme. “We can’t say too much, because we don’t want
to tip him off and allow him to escape, but we expect another arrest shortly.”
-----Original
Message-----
From: David Codrea
To: 'franky samora'
Subject: RE: situation report!
"Franky
Samora" you evil being. That is not
your real name. Look at what the police
showed to me: http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/nls.asp
Feast on
what you have done, you creature, you devil.
No one
will bring back my Kwaku. I will not
rest until justice has been done.
Coward—you
dare not acknowledge me! I spit on you, spawn of dogs.
Millicent
Kiwitu Codrea
ATTACHMENT:
Jail Suicide Puzzles Authorities
African
Immigrant Arrested in Sting Hangs Self. Ringleader Still at Large.
By D. NICHOLAS
Tribune Staff Writer
David Kwaku Afriyie Codrea,
32, was found hanged in his cell yesterday evening, and pronounced dead at
Mercy General Hospital. Codrea, an
African immigrant, had been arrested in a police sting for engaging in a
variation of the “Nigerian Letter Scam,” also known as the “Four One Nine”
scam, for the Nigerian fraud statute that it violates.
David “Kwaku Afriyie”
Codrea- Police File Photo
According to the Internet
Fraud Complaint Center, a joint venture between the FBI and the National White
Collar Crime Center, the scheme generally promises unwitting victims a
percentage of a typically huge sum of money that they are asked to take custody
of. Once the victim’s confidence is
gained, they are approached for funding to cover false expenses, and are
usually bilked for as long as they send money.
“The
tragedy of this whole thing is that we believe Mr. Codrea was the intended
victim,” Coroner’s spokesman Laurence Fine told The Tribune, announcing
confirmation that the death has been ruled a suicide. “Many immigrants have a fear of authority
based on their country of origin. They
don’t realize that in America, they have rights. We’re speculating it was a combination of
this, along with a feeling of shame that induced the victim to commit this
act.”
Authorities are tracing the
origin of the illegal scheme. While
details are closely guarded, The Tribune has learned that the Yahoo
Internet company’s French subsidiary provided the mail service platform where
the fraud was launched, and that rather than Nigeria, Ghana was represented as
the country of origin.
“We have a name,” Assistant
Prosecutor William C. Fields announced, “although it is certainly an
alias. We have a good idea who the
individual is, and are working with appropriate authorities to apprehend them,”
he added, saying the department expects an arrest shortly.
“I’m adding a charge of
manslaughter,” Fields said, noting that criminal charges for being an accessory
are typically brought forth when a death results from a criminal scheme.
“This just raised the
seriousness of the crime to a whole new level,” he continued, and somewhere out
there, a petty criminal just entered the big leagues. When they do this, they soon find they’re in
far over their heads and they can run, but they can’t hide.”
Codrea leaves a wife,
Millicent Kiwitu Codrea, 29, and two children, David Kwaku, Jr., 7, and Akuba
Cudjoe, 5. A family friend requested
privacy. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
And
I never heard from my “brother” Mr. Franky Samora again.
[1] Name
expropriated from the Ghanan Health
Minister
[2] My ancestors
were Romanian, and their forebears were the Dacians.
[3] Fax and phone
numbers for the Federal Reserve Board
[4] “Goodbye”
(Asante dialect)
[5] “Oh, what is wrong with you. It is better. I’m
a merchant. I want this bargain!!!” (Kasem dialect)
[6] “OK, I bid you
thanks.” (Kasem dialect)
[7] A former “Miss
Ghana”
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