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A MIDDLE-aged Nigerian, Chief James Dede, who allegedly connived with three others to defraud a Jordanian, has been arrested by officers from the Vetting and Crime Analysis (VCA) Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Accra. Chief Dede and his cronies managed to defraud Bilal Mohammed of a whopping $400,000 and were about receiving an additional $150,000 when he was arrested by the police. However, three of his accomplices are currently at large. According to the Director of VCA, Chief Superintendent Denis Abade, Bilal became acquainted with Chief James through one of the four suspects who he met somewhere in August 2009 in Dubai. The said suspect, who is currently on the run, while in Dubai did introduce himself to Bilal as a Sudanese Diplomat. The two further discussed their interest in real estate business and exchanged contact numbers which led to the runaway suspect inviting Bilal on a later date to Ghana. On his arrival, Bilal was introduced to James and two others (who are accomplices) as a business partner. In February 2010, Bilal was invited again to Ghana by his so-called partner who claimed he had to transfer an amount of $160million to Darfur but because of the war in that city, he rather preferred that the money was channeled through Ghana for investment, of which he (complainant) would be a partner. The Jordanian was then taken to the Bank of Ghana and other banks from where they succeeded in collecting the sum of $50,000 from him, claiming it was used to open an account in one of the Nigerian banks in his name. Later, the fraudsters allegedly made a choice of another bank over the previous bank and deceitfully took another $80,000 from the complainant to supposedly open an account at that bank, claiming they preferred to transfer the money through that bank. James and his gangsters kept using different means and imaginary stories and succeeded in duping the complainant of $400,000, of which $150,000 was paid into an account belonging to AL-Voad Company Ltd at one of the banks. Later, Bilal learnt that the so-called business was non-existent. Armed with this information, he reported the matter to the police who arrested James when he went to Bilal for more money on April 8, 2011. James has since been charged for defrauding by false pretences and arraigned. He was remanded into police custody to re-appear on Tuesday May 24, 2011.