Charly Boy: I Was Scamming Banks Before 419 Started

Veteran singer and social activist, Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy, has said that he engaged in scamming before 419 became popular in Nigeria.

Advance fee fraud or “419 fraud”, is a scheme in which a sender requests help facilitating the illegal transfer of money, according to Wikipedia.

The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster claims will be used to obtain the large sum.

If a victim makes the payment, the fraudster either invents a series of further fees for the victim to pay or simply disappears.

Speaking in the latest episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, co-hosted by actor, Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, aka Nedu, Charley Boy said he engaged in scamming banks before 419 became popular.

He also revealed that his dad, the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, damaged him through religion.

“I spoil from belle because at 16, I don born. My first son is almost 53. I was scamming banks even before una begin hear of 419, I don do small. My papa, when I dey small he damage me with religion and religiousity,” he said.

Charly Boy had in August 2022 argued that marriage is a lifetime sentence

However, in an interview with Saturday Beats, the ‘Area Fada’ said, “Some people are asking me how I have managed to stay in marriage for 45 years. It is hard work. It is not that it has entirely been a sweet experience for me. My marriage is not perfect but we are a perfect match made in heaven.

“Young people usually believe that love is all they need to marry. That is a big lie. That was what I was trying to say (in my post on social media). When I talk, people should think deeper. I have been married for 45 years. What remains again? I can as well finish 10 or 20 more years because it is a life sentence.”