The trial of Wawe Eseoghene Nelson, also known as James Andrew Shmit and Philip Bradley, commenced on Thursday, March 14, 2025, before Justice Aliyu Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented its first prosecution witness (PW1), Kathleen Sharp, as part of the case against Nelson.
Nelson was arraigned on February 11, 2025, and faces 11 counts of advance fee fraud, impersonation, conspiracy, and obtaining money under false pretenses amounting to $968,000 (Nine Hundred and Sixty-Eight Thousand Dollars) from two U.S. citizens, Kathleen Sharp and Holly Stamm.
Details of the Charges
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Wawe Esoghene Nelson (a.k.a James Andrew Smith), sometime in 2023 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of One Hundred and Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($155,000) from Kathleen Sharp, a resident of the United States of America, through Chase Bank (account name: Pearl and Allison LLC, account number: 952177670, routing number: 021000021, account address: 35 Knollwood Dr, Aptos, CA 95003, and bank address: 1990 41st Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010). You falsely represented yourself as James Andrew Smith, a petroleum engineer from the United States involved in an engineering project related to petroleum exploration. You knew this representation to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Count eleven states: “That you, Wawe Esoghene Nelson (a.k.a Philip Bradley), sometime in 2022 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($120,000) from Holly Stamm, a U.S. citizen, via Bitcoin. You falsely represented yourself as James Andrew Shmit, a petroleum engineer from the United States, claiming the funds were required to secure a petroleum project and promising repayment upon project completion. You knew this representation to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Nelson pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Testimony of the First Prosecution Witness (PW1)
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Maryam Aminu Ahmed, Kathleen Sharp recounted how Nelson lured her into providing financial support under the guise of funding a petroleum project. “I was contacted by the Commission, which informed me that I had been defrauded by someone using the identity of James Andrew Shmit on a social media platform. He introduced himself as an engineer working at BP Oil in the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed he lacked access to personal funds and needed financial support for a project, promising to repay me once the project yielded returns.
I sent a total of $183,000 (One Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand Dollars) in three instalments — $45,500 via a certificate cheque, $131,000 by wire transfer, and $7,000 through another wire transfer. After the third instalment, he pressured me to send an additional $10,000, which I refused. His profile picture showed a white male with brown hair. I have not recovered my money and would like a refund of my investment. I also seek justice for his actions,”* she stated.
Justice Halilu adjourned the case to April 16, 2025, for cross-examination of the witness.
