Two sisters in Nigeria with ties to Toronto have been released on bail after being detained for allegedly attempting to blackmail a billionaire with claims he cheated on his wife.
According to the website Politics Nigeria,
Jyoti and Kiran Matharoo operated a website called naijagistlive. It’s alleged
the sisters cyber-bullied several high-ranking men, including a billionaire
named Femi Otedola, and accused them of cheating and seeing prostitutes.
Politics Nigeria said the sisters tried to blackmail Otedola by
claiming they had evidence of him having an affair.
“They demanded money in order not
to go public with the details. This was their ‘modus operandi’,” the article
read.
“It was also discovered that the girls recorded conversations and
s*x (sic) romps with their rich clients which comprise of politicians, club
owners and businessmen.”
The report said the sisters
contacted the clients through a third party and demanded they pay “thousands of
dollars or risk the release of the recordings/pictures/videos online through
their website.”
Politics Nigeria said sources
told them Otedola contacted police to report the blackmail attempt. It said the
sisters made “a confessional statement” saying they were behind the website and
made an apology to Otedola.
The article said the sisters were
arraigned at the Yaba Megistrate Court on Friday. The case will be heard again
on Jan. 26.
The online article contains a
picture of a document entitled “Criminal Undertaking” which lists several
allegations.
“I encouraged the use of these
platforms (the website, a Twitter account and an Instagram account) for the
malicious and unfounded attacks of third parties, assuring the protection of
the identities of the contributors in return for more content,” the document
read in part, which has not been independently confirmed by Global News.
“From time to time, I charged various individuals for the
removal of certain content posted on the site, as well as for the posting of
certain information about various people,” it also said.
The document has the name
Taranjot Matharoo printed at the top with a west-end Toronto address and it is
signed by Kiranjot Matharoo at the bottom, along with a Toronto-based phone
number.
There is also a similar document
posted that was signed by a Babetunde Oyebede, who is listed at a Nigerian
address.
A spokeswoman from Global Affairs
Canada said in a statement that consular services are being provided to
Canadian citizens detained in Lagos, Nigeria. However, she said further details
couldn’t be released due to privacy issues.
Salem Moussallam, who said he has
been friends with the sisters for around five years, described the pair as
“socialites” and said he was “very shocked” about what happened.
He said the sisters have been
released on bail and the situation has been “blown way too much out of
proportion.”
“How about the other people? It takes two to tango here, if you
know anything. If one person is doing something, the other person is doing
something bad,” Moussallam said".
Moussallam said he spoke with
Jyoti as recently as Monday.
“They’re saying, ‘We’re all
right. We’re fine. We’ll come and see you – back soon. We’re going to be going
to (Las) Vegas,’” adding the pair don’t live in Nigeria.
Global News hasn’t been able to independently
confirm the allegations contained in the Politics Nigeria article.
Cindy Pom
contributed to this report
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