In which Gilbert the inventor, aided and abetted by his newly-cloned assistant, attempts to help yet another crooked Nigerian banker syphon money out of a dead person’s bank account. How will Beaker cope when Gilbert sends him all the way to Nigeria with a briefcase full of money to meet the scammers? All does not go according to plan... according to the scammers’ plan, that is.

Cast of characters

Gilbert Murray – an eccentric inventor.
Beaker – Gilbert’s new assistant, who is just as faithful and just as disturbed as the original Beaker from whom he was cloned.
Felix Okafor – allegedly an Accounting Officer working for the Standard Trust Bank in Lagos, who appears to have difficulty remembering his own name.
Mark Murray – allegedly Mr Okafor’s barrister.
Raphael Ebube – allegedly the Manager of the Foreign Remittance Department of Standard Trust Bank Plc.
Justice Kayode Esho – allegedly a judge working for the Probate Registry at the Federal Ministry of Justice.

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: From Mr Felix Okafor

Sent: Wed, 01 Feb 2024 09:39:16 +0000

Dear Sir,

I am making this contact with you in good faith. I got your mail address from the Foreign Department in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office. I am working with the Standard Trust Bank PLC, Apapa Branch, Lagos. My purpose of writing you is to ask for your assistance to provide a virgin bank account or your account that contains little or no money where we can successfully secure the sum of $10.5 million (ten million five hundred thousand United States dollars).

For your information, there is one America business merchant based here in Nigeria and his name is Mr Jeremiah. He was the owner of JC Fisheries Nig Ltd, located at No 125 Industrial Zone, Oshodi Expressway, Isolo, here in Lagos, now have been taken over by government of Nigeria because nobody came for this company after the death of Mr Jeremiah. This man died in a plane crash in 2001 together with his wife here in Nigeria. He was banking with my bank and I am his accounting officer.

However, since the death of Mr Jeremiah, I have been trying to contact any of his relative in the city of Chicago, his home country America, through his address with me, to let his people know about his money in our bank but I did not receive any response. I later remembered that Mr Jeremiah came to my country out of shame he was receiving from his country because he was impotent.

This secret he revealed to me when he was alive because I pestered him to introduce his children to me. Now I have decided to link anybody to stand as Mr Jeremiah next of kin in order to claim the money he deposited here as fixed solid investment since nobody knew about it.

Government of my country will pay it to Federal Reserve purse if I should declare to them about this fund. Note that there is no risk involved in this transaction, as I will give you all information you may need about Mr Jeremiah and his banking relationship with my branch to enable you to stand as his next of kin to receive this money in your account.

This transaction will go through normal banking process only that you have to stand firm as the next of kin to Mr Jeremiah just to claim this money. I will direct you on how to apply for the claims of this money. Please if you are interested and capable to carry out this deal with me, reply me or call phone +234-8028442066.

I will require the following information from you for procession of the fund in your favour:

Your private phone and fax number.
Your account information where this fund will be paid into.
Your home address. I personally need your home address because I do not know you too well before now only that I decided to work with you on trust believing God that you will not cheat on me.

Note that we can conclude this transaction within two weeks upon your compliance in applying for the claims to our head office, as I will direct you. I will give you $2.5 million after we conclude this transaction. Be duly informed that I will be resigning from this banking work to come over to your country after the transfer of this fund to your account. I will then engage myself in international business since I will have enough money for any kind of business after this transaction. You need not to be afraid because inasmuch as I would want my reputation protected, I would also want yours to also be protected.

I am waiting for your urgent response.

Best regards,

Mr Felix Okafor

Tel: +234-8028442066

Email: felix_okafor2006@yahoo.co.uk

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Felix Okafor

Subject: Regarding your remarkable email

Sent: Wed, 01 Feb 2024 16:18:45

Dear Mr Okafor,

I have just read the remarkable email you sent to me regarding the $10.5 million that has been left by your late client, Mr Jeremiah. I cannot think what prompted you to contact me personally on this matter – and I’d be very interested to know who passed my details onto you – but I have to say that I’m extremely glad that you did so.

Could I really stand in as your late client’s next of kin, Mr Okafor? It’s not that I’m doubting your word or anything like that, but it sounds almost too good to be true. I mean, my name is different, I’ve never been to Chicago... and I’m certainly not impotent. You weren’t suggesting that I was impotent, were you? I may not have any offspring of my own, but I can assure you that I’m not.

Anyway, as you presumably already know from your contacts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I am an inventor, and as it happens I am currently on the lookout for a source of funding for my next venture. With this in mind, this proposition of yours may have come at just the right time for me.

If you can provide me with some kind of proof that what you’re telling me is for real, I can tell you right now that I would be extremely interested in working with you on this matter.

Please get back to me with proof as soon as you can. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Thanks for your reply

Sent: Wed, 08 Feb 2024 12:23:53 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

I am indeed very happy for your reply. What I am talking about is that there is one America business merchant based here in Nigeria and his name is Mr Jeremiah Murray, this man died in a plane crash in 2001 together with his wife here in Nigeria. He was banking with my bank and I am his accounting officer.

As a matter of fact I know you are not in any way related to the deceased but I want to use my position to present you as the next of kin to my late client because both of you share the same whether first or last name (Jeremiah Murray), it does not really matter. All I need is for you to stand as the next of kin to my late client so that the fund which he left behind will be transferred to you. I don’t want the fund to go to the bank purse that is my reason of contacting you.

For us to get started you will have to send me your data to include:

Your full names, age, occupation and home address.
Your private phone and fax number.
Your account information where this fund will be paid into.

I personally need your home address because I do not know you too well before now only that I decided to work with you on trust believing God that you will not cheat on me. I will also appreciate if you call me on my cell as I bought a new line for this where you can always reach me. You can call me once you receive this email on +234-8028442066.

This transaction requires utmost trust and confidence so please, let us really assure ourselves that is why I will like you to call me once you get this email.

After we might have discussed on phone then I shall send you a text of application which you shall send to the bank for them to make a review of the claim as well as open communication with on how the funds will be transferred to you.

Please, I would be most grateful if you can be replying to mails on urgent basis so that we can conclude this transaction within the shortest possible time.

I assure you once more that this transaction is 100% risk-free.

Expecting to hear from you.

Best regards,

Mr Felix Okafor

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Felix Okafor

Subject: My personal details

Sent: Wed, 08 Feb 2024 17:31:55

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for your email and for explaining matters so clearly. If you are absolutely sure that there will be no risk involved in this transaction, then I am happy to move forward as you suggest: I would be a fool to turn down that much money for so little work!

You asked for my personal information. Here it is:

Name: Gilbert Arnold Murray

Age: 54

Occupation: Inventor

Address: Hemlock Cottage, Cold Harbour Lane, Gypping in the Marsh, Lincolnshire, UK

Telephone number: 01927 58367

You mentioned that you would like to speak to me on the telephone. Nothing would give me greater pleasure, but unfortunately I am having a problem with the telephone line at the moment: we had some extremely strong winds the other day and they brought down the telegraph wires to the village, so my telephone is out of order at the moment. Luckily my satellite internet connection has been unaffected by the bad weather, so I suggest that we continue communicating via email until the telephone company get around to repairing the line.

This is all most inconvenient, but hopefully continuing to communicate via email until my telephone is reconnected will not present us with too much of a problem.

I must return to my latest experiment. I am currently working for the Iranian government, developing a revolutionary new small-scale nuclear reactor for them. Things are reaching a critical stage right now and I am expecting fission to occur at some time within the hour. I am expecting a visit tomorrow morning from my current project’s financial backer, Mr Ahmadinejad, and I am keen to be able to show him that I have made good progress on the project.

Do get back to me as soon as you can with further details of what we need to do in order to make some progress. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: I HAVE HIRED AN ATTORNEY TO GUIDE YOU CLAIM THIS FUND

Sent: Thu, 09 Feb 2024 12:06:58 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

I have received your mail and your personal information, I have also hired the service of an attorney (Barrister Mark Murray) who will assist and guide you legally claim this fund.

With your personal informations I have directed him to file in a letter of claim in your favour with the bank. Please note that the bank will contact you to verify this information by sending an application form which you will fill and return it back to the bank. Once again I want to assure you that all modalities to save you and I from any breach of the law has been put into consideration before now.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Felix Abua

From: Mark Murray

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM MARK MURRAY CHAMBERS & ASSOCIATES

Sent: Thu, 09 Feb 2024 12:14:14 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

My name is Mark Murray Esq. I am an attorney by profession, I have been contracted by Mr Felix Okafor to guide and direct you on modalities to follow to claim your inheritance fund valued at $10.5 million presently lodged with Standard Trust Bank Plc.

Please find below via email attachment a specimen copy of a demand letter of claim, which I have filled and sent to the bank on your behalf. Please note that Standard Trust Bank Plc will contact you any moment from now. You can reach me on my cell phone for more details: +234-8033863087.

For your perusal please download the form on a system that has Microsoft Word.

Regards,

Mark Murray

CEO, McMurray Chambers & Associates

(Click to enlarge)

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Felix Okafor

Subject: Your attorney has been in touch

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 11:10:26

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for your email. I must apologise for the delay in getting back to you, but I had a terrible day yesterday. Things did not go well in the workshop at all; unfortunately the reactor I am developing on behalf of the Iranian government developed a small crack during a test run yesterday, and as a result of the pressures involved the reactor suffered a core meltdown. It caused a terrible mess: it took me all day to scrape the plutonium off the walls of the shed.

Worse still, the project’s financial backer, Mr Ahmadinejad, was on hand to witness the disaster. He was not impressed, I can tell you.

However, I am hoping that things will improve as from next week: I am expecting my new assistant to arrive first thing tomorrow morning from the Human Cloning Department of Cleethorpes University. My last assistant left my employment in somewhat unfortunate circumstances last year, and I have been waiting for a whole year now for his replacement. Hopefully, my new assistant, Beaker, will be a chip off the old block. It will certainly help to have another pair of hands around the place.

Anyway, back to business. You will be pleased to hear that your attorney, Mr Murray, has been in touch. He has sent me a copy of a letter that he has sent to the bank in which your late client’s funds are deposited.

I am about to send Mr Murray (what a coincidence that we should have the same name!) a brief acknowledgement before I return to my work. I will keep you informed as and when we make progress.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. You signed your last email “Felix Abua”. I thought your name was Felix Okafor. Is Abua your maiden name?

Click here to read how Gilbert came to lose his last assistant and how he came to have him cloned. It’s a tragic tale of unrequited love, repeatedly soiled bedding... and some very surprised-looking chickens.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Mark Murray

Subject: Regarding the letter you sent to the bank on my behalf

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 11:14:51

Dear Mr Murray,

Thank you for forwarding on that letter that you sent to the bank on my behalf yesterday.

Having read through the letter, I am afraid to say that you appear to have made a mistake: in the letter, you referred to Mr Okafor’s late client dying in a car crash; however, Mr Okafor has informed me that his late client died in a plane crash. Do you think this will matter? I do hope not.

You say that the bank should be in touch shortly. I shall wait to hear from them.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I note that we share the same surname: what a delightful coincidence! I wonder if we could be distant relatives... are you by any chance related to the Murrays of Frottagesham? They are distant cousins of mine, and I am sure that their branch of the family had some connection with Africa a few generations ago.

From: Raphael Ebube

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: CLAIM OF US$10.5 MILLION DUE TO US FOR NEXT OF KIN PAYMENT

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 11:40:19 +0000

STANDARD TRUST BANK PLC
Standard Trust Building
Wharf Apapa
Lagos
Nigeria

From The Desk Of Mr Raphael Ebube, the Foreign Operations Manager, Standard Trust Bank Plc, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: +234-1-8121025
Fax: +234-1-8195549
Email: stbank@standardtrustbankplcng.net

Attn: Gilbert Arnold Murray,

CONDOLENCE/CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE

We the members of the Board of Directors, on behalf of the Honourable Chairman and the entire staff of Standard Trust Bank Plc write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of application sent to this bank on your behalf by one Barrister Mark Murray for the release of your late relative’s fund Mr Jeremiah Murray into your bank account.

The death of Mr Jeremiah Murray was a terrible blow to this bank because of his outstanding patronage to us getting back to the days when this bank was established. We are now using this medium to express our sympathy to you over this great loss. We have been very worried that no one showed up as the next of kin until now, and we were entertaining serious thoughts of giving this fund out as donation to the Military War College in Kaduna State if by the end of this quarter of this financial year and nobody turns up for the fund.

We are now rest assured that we have located the next of kin to Mr Jeremiah Murray and we have taken it upon our good selves to see that the fund $10,500.000.00 (ten million five hundred thousand United States dollars) is remitted into your nominated bank account without delay.

As soon as we receive the necessary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal High Court of Justice to pay out the fund, then your account will be credited with the above stated sum.

Accept our congratulations for being a beneficiary to this great fortune, which we know will boost your business.

Thank you for your co-operation and anticipated understanding in this matter as we work tirelessly towards ensuring a speedy remittance.

Congratulations!!!

Mr Raphael Ebube

Manager, Foreign Remittance Dept, Standard Trust Bank Plc

From: Raphael Ebube

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: PLEASE SEND TRANSFER APPROVAL DOCUMENTS

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 11:43:56 +0000

Attn: Gilbert Arnold Murray,

Please note that it is very imperative for you to provide us with these below stated items as contained in section 12c of the Fixed Deposit Agreement booklet of Standard Trust Bank Plc as this account was an open beneficiary one.

Items listed and needed are:

A letter of administration from the Federal Ministry of Justice authenticating your claims.
A sworn affidavit of claim duly signed and attested by a reputable high court judge in Nigeria.
A copy of the fixed deposit certificate as signed by late Mr Jeremiah Murray.
A copy of late Mr Jeremiah Murray’s death certificate from the National Population Commission.
You shall provide us with any of these forms of identification: a copy of your international passport, national identification card, or company identification card or driver’s licence.

You are expected to secure an affidavit of claim and a letter of administration at your own cost from the Federal High Court here in Nigeria authorising our bank to remit the fund to you as the next of kin to the deceased. The original copies should be sent to our bank for notification.

If you have NOT obtained the affidavit of claim, you are to do so by contacting the Federal Ministry of Justice by mail on (fedminofjusticeng@yahoo.com) for the attention of Justice Kayode Esho.

All these aforementioned requirements are needed by the Document Processing Unit of Standard Trust Bank Plc for verifications and approval of your claims.

Thank you for your co-operation and anticipated understanding in this matter as we work tirelessly towards ensuring a speedy remittance.

Congratulations!!!

Mr Raphael Ebube

Manager, Foreign Remittance Dept, Standard Trust Bank Plc

From: Raphael Ebube

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM FILL AND SEND BACK ASAP

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 11:55:58 +0000

Attn: Gilbert Arnold Murray,

I have enclosed with this mail a PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM via attachment, and you are expected to complete this form as directed and returned back as soon as possible to allow the early processing and payment of your inheritance fund.

NOTE: You are required to download on a system that has Microsoft Word and returned back by attachment immediately.

We look forward to hearing from you soonest.

Mr Raphael Ebube

Manager, Foreign Remittance Dept, Standard Trust Bank Plc

A payment processing form from the bank
(Click to enlarge)

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: Your attorney has been in touch

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 11:58:05 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

Please accept my sympathy for the problems you are facing in your workshop.

I am very happy the attorney who happens to be your namesake has been in touch with you, we are working according to schedule. Let us wait to hear from the bank. Please do keep us informed immediately the bank contacts you on this transaction, so that the attorney can direct you on the next line of action. OK?

My full name is Felix Abua Okafor. Abua is my maiden name.

Warmest regards,

Felix Abua Okafor

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Raphael Ebube

Subject: Regarding the late Jeremiah Murray

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 14:23:11

Dear Mr Ebube,

Thank you for your emails, and for your kind words regarding the late Jeremiah Murray. Although we were not at all close, his unfortunate death was a grave blow to me. However, one must look on the bright side: at least the vast fortune that he left behind will be going to a good cause: as you know, I am an inventor and I shall be using the money to fund my next project.

I have to admit that I found the wealth of information that you provided in your emails a tad confusing: I am a practical, “hands on” type of chap and paperwork is not exactly my forte. I will therefore forward on your emails to my lawyer. I am sure that he will be able to explain everything to me in layman’s terms.

I will get back to you once my lawyer has explained things to me and we have worked out the best way forward.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Mark Murray; Cc: Felix Okafor

Subject: The bank has been in touch

Sent: Fri, 10 Feb 2024 14:32:28

Dear Mr Murray,

As you will have seen from the emails I have forwarded on to you, a Mr Ebube from the bank has been in touch with me regarding the late Jeremiah Murray’s fortune which I am claiming as my own.

To be perfectly honest Mr Murray, paperwork is not my thing, and I found Mr Ebube’s emails rather confusing. There seems to be so much that we have to do in order to have this money transferred into my bank account.

Could I ask you to cast your legal eyes over the emails that Mr Ebube sent me earlier today and to summarise their contents for me? If you can provide me with a simple list of what we need to do, I think that I will understand this whole thing a lot better.

I will be rather busy this weekend – on top of my current experiment, I am expecting my new assistant, Beaker, to arrive first thing tomorrow morning and I shall be spending the weekend showing him around the place and helping him to settle in – but if you could get back to me at some point over the weekend I will give this matter my full attention first thing on Monday morning.

Thank you in advance for your help, and may I wish you a pleasant weekend.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: I HAVE TWO OF THE DOCUMENTS YOU WILL APPLY FOR THE REMAINING TWO DOCUMENTS

Sent: Sat, 11 Feb 2024 09:30:22 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

I have received all the mails forwarded to me which was sent to you from the bank, I am very happy the bank have contacted you and what is required from us now is to send the relevant papers that authorises you to claim this fund.

For the documents needed by the bank:

A letter of administration.
A sworn affidavit of claim.
The deposit certificate.
The death certificate.

I have 3 and 4.

For the remaining 1 LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION and 2 AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM you the next of kin and beneficiary to the inheritance fund will have to apply through the Federal Ministry of Justice for the 1 and 2.

So right now to facilitate everything I will direct the attorney to send you a specimen text of application which you will fill in your name, address, telephone, age, occupation and send to the Federal Ministry of Justice (PROBATE REGISTRY) for a SWORN AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM and a LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.

Please note that the two documents will attract some charges. You will be required to send to the ministry the document fees so make arrangement down for the document fees although I don’t know how much the two documents will cost. However go ahead and email the Probate Registry via their email address – fedminofjusticeng@yahoo.com – so that they can procure the two documents for us.

Please fill the text of application which the attorney will send you and send to the Federal Ministry of Justice via their email address – fedminofjusticeng@yahoo.com – immediately you secure the affidavit of claim and a letter of administration I will send you the deposit certificate and the death certificate so that you can send all together with your ID for identification to the bank.

Regards,

Felix Abua Okafor

From: Mark Murray

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: APPLICATION FOR AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM AND LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION

Sent: Sat, 11 Feb 2024 09:39:45 +0000 (GMT)

Attn: Gilbert Murray,

Please find below a specimen copy of an application letter which you will fill and send to the Federal Ministry of Justice, so that the agency can secure a letter of administration and a sworn affidavit of claim for the release of your inheritance.

You will have to fill in your data to include:

Your name.
Your address.
Your age.
Your occupation.

And send this application via the email address of the Probate Registry: fedminofjusticeng@yahoo.com.

Regards,

Mark Murray

CEO, McMurray Chambers & Associates

COPY FROM HERE:

ATTN: JUSTICE KAYODE ESHO

APPLICATION FOR A LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION AND AN AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM

I .................... ADDRESS ....................

AGE .................... OCCUPATION ....................

HEREBY HUMBLY APPLY FOR PROCUREMENT OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM AND LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.

THIS DOCUMENT IS NEEDED BY STANDARD TRUST BANK PLC FOR AUTHENTICATION OF CLAIM OF MY LATE RELATIVE’S JEREMIAH MURRAY INHERITANCE VALUED AT $10.5 MILLION.

I WILL BE GRATEFUL IF THIS REQUEST IS GRANTED.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

....................

FOR THE FAMILY

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Mark Murray

Subject: A couple of queries regarding the application letter

Sent: Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:53:19

Dear Mr Murray,

Thank you for sending me the text of the application letter that you say I need to send to Justice Esho at the Probate Registry.

Before I send the letter, I have a couple of queries. Firstly, should I give my business address or my home address on the letter? Secondly, at the bottom of the letter of application it says “for the family”. I have no family. Should I therefore delete these words from the application letter?

I would appreciate it if you could get back to me with answers to my queries as soon as possible so that I can send the application letter to the Probate Registry without delay.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Felix Okafor

Subject: Regarding the documents I need to obtain

Sent: Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:55:21

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for your email and for explaining things to me so well. Everything is now a lot clearer in my head.

You will be pleased to hear that your attorney Mr Murray has sent me the text of an application letter that he tells me I need to send to the Probate Registry (whatever that is). I have just sent Mr Murray an email with a few queries regarding the text of the letter. As soon as I receive a response from him, I will send the application letter off to the Probate Registry.

My new assistant, Beaker, arrived on Saturday morning, so much of the weekend was taken up with showing him around the place and making him feel at home. It really is remarkable how similar he is to my last assistant – of course, genetically speaking he’s absolutely identical – and it feels good to have his familiar face around the place once more.

Astonishingly enough, not only does he look identical to my last assistant, he even shares some of his personal habits. For example, I couldn’t help but notice during supper last night how Beaker quite unselfconsciously blew his nose into the tablecloth, just like his predecessor used to do. Unfortunately, he also seems to have inherited my last assistant’s body odour problem. I will have to see what I can do about that.

Anyway, I must get back to my work. Most of today will be taken up with showing Mr Ahmadinejad the entire nuclear fission process, from start to finish: he is keen to see at first hand that the revisions I made to the reactor after last week’s little accident mean that it is able to cope with the massive pressures involved without breaking up again. Fingers crossed that all goes well.

Now that I have Beaker to help me in the workshop, I am hoping that we will be able to get through the day without any major problems. It is most important that we make a good impression on Mr Ahmadinejad today: if we don’t, it is possible that the Iranian government will look elsewhere for an alternative design for a mini-reactor.

I will get back to you as soon as I have any news.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Mark Murray

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: A couple of queries regarding the application letter

Sent: Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:11:32 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

In line with your questions as to the address you should use, to avoid complications please use this initial address: Hemlock Cottage, Cold Harbour Lane, Gypping in the Marsh, Lincolnshire, UK.

You will have to use it as it has been used to file in for your claim with Standard Trust Bank Plc, and remember all relevant informations/documents will be sent to you via the same address.

Secondly, at the bottom of the letter of application which says “for the family”. You will have to put your full names: Gilbert Arnold Murray.

Without further delay go ahead and contact the Probate Registry via email (fedminofjusticeng@yahoo.com) so that they can procure these two documents for the release of your fund to you this week.

Best regards,

Mark Murray

CEO, McMurray Chambers & Associates

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Mark Murray

Subject: I will contact the Probate Registry immediately

Sent: Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:59:16

Dear Mr Murray,

Thank you for your email and for clarifying which address I should quote when I contact the Probate Registry.

I have to say, the advice that you gave me regarding the section of the application letter that stated “for the family” was rather unclear. I asked you – bearing in mind that I do not have a family of my own – whether or not I should delete these words from the letter that I send to the Probate Registry, but you did not give me a precise answer.

I would hate to give the impression that I have a family when I do not: after all, if the Probate Registry were to find out that I had given them misleading information, that could cause us problems, and I want to avoid problems at all costs. I shall therefore make it clear in my application letter that I do not have a family. I think that is for the best.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. You did not tell me whether or not you were related to the Murrays of Frottagesham. It would be a very strange coincidence if we turned out to be related.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Justice Kayode Esho; Cc: Mark Murray

Subject: ATTN: JUSTICE KAYODE ESHO

Sent: Mon, 13 Feb 2023 15:03:42

ATTN: JUSTICE KAYODE ESHO

APPLICATION FOR A LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION AND AN AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM

I Gilbert Arnold Murray ADDRESS Hemlock Cottage, Cold Harbour Lane, Gypping in the Marsh, Lincolnshire, UK

AGE 54 OCCUPATION Inventor

HEREBY HUMBLY APPLY FOR PROCUREMENT OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM AND LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.

THIS DOCUMENT IS NEEDED BY STANDARD TRUST BANK PLC FOR AUTHENTICATION OF CLAIM OF MY LATE RELATIVE’S JEREMIAH MURRAY INHERITANCE VALUED AT $10.5 MILLION.

I WILL BE GRATEFUL IF THIS REQUEST IS GRANTED.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

Gilbert Arnold Murray

PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT HAVE A FAMILY.

From: Justice Kayode Esho

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: APPLICATION FOR A LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION AND AN AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 02:17:34 -0800 (PST)

Federal Ministry of Justice,
New Federal Secretariat Complex Wing 1B,
1001-1099, 10th Floor, Federal Secretariat Block 1,
Shehu Shagari Way,
Abuja, Nigeria

Attn: Gilbert A Murray,

This is to confirm receipt of your mail to our agency. In line with your application for procurement of a sworn affidavit of claim and a letter of administration you will be required to arrive in Nigeria to swear an affidavit in the Federal High Court, after which the original copies should be sent to STANDARD TRUST BANK Plc for notification.

Be informed that the affidavit of claim and the letter of administration will cost you a total of $1,900 (one thousand nine hundred United States dollars only). Be advised that if it will not be possible for you to travel down for the swearing of the affidavit, we can assist you further through our legal department. In that case, you are advised to make the affidavit payment of $1,900 (one thousand nine hundred United States dollars only) to our legal department to enable them assist you in normalising of the affidavit in the court for the prompt release of the fund to your account.

The payment should be made by MoneyGram money transfer or Western Union money transfer to the Exchequer Officer (PETER OKOCHA) of this ministry as follows:

RECEIVER’S NAME: PETER OKOCHA
DESTINATION: LAGOS, NIGERIA
TEST QUESTION: COLOUR?
ANSWER: WHITE
MTCN: ?

You are expected to make the payment and get back to us immediately with the MoneyGram or Western Union payment information to enable the legal department to conclude your matter with this ministry for the prompt release of your fund.

Your prompt response is expected.

Yours faithfully,

Justice Kayode Esho

NB. How to send money through Western Union:

Go to the nearest Western Union agent’s outlet and fill up a Send Money form.
Under “Receiver”, fill in the following:

First name: Peter
Last name: Okocha (Peter Okocha is the Probates Accountant, all monetary transactions go through him)
Address: Lagos, Nigeria
Test question: Colour?
Answer: White

Send back to us via email the money transfer control number and sender’s name and address.
For further clarification, kindly contact us at fedminofjusticeng@yahoo.com.

Assuring you of our best services at all times.

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:49:55 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

I am glad you now understand everything, and I assume your namesake Barrister Mark Murray has answered your queries? Please without waste of much time contact the Probate Registry for the affidavit of claim and letter of administration.

With the pace we are moving now you will receive this fund before or by the weekend. Please remember the two documents will attract some charges, you will deduct this expense first immediately you receive this fund in your account before we commence sharing.

Thank you very much for your input and efforts towards successful actualisation of this transaction. My regards to your new assistant Beaker.

Please notify me immediately you secure the two documents so that I send you the ones with me.

Regards,

Felix Abua Okafor

NB. Remember to send your ID as means of identification to the bank. Your ID will be attached to your payment file.

From: Mark Murray

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: I will contact the Probate Registry immediately

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 11:38:56 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

Regarding the section of the application letter that stated “for the family”.

That section does not refer to you as an individual per se. That section refers or implies that you who is the next of kin/beneficiary to the inheritance fund is representing the late Jeremiah Murray’s family.

Secondly in line with your last question I am not related to the Murrays of Frottagesham. It’s just a coincidence we happen to be namesakes.

Finally I will advise you mail the Federal Ministry as soon as possible for the relative documents as that is the only thing delaying the release of your inheritance.

Best regards,

Mark Murray

CEO, McMurray Chambers & Associates

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Felix Okafor

Subject: The man from the Probate Registry wants me to travel to Nigeria

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:14:20

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for your email. I must apologise for the slight delay in getting back to you, but things have been hectic here for the past couple of days and I have not been able to devote as much time as I would have liked to this business.

Unfortunately my new assistant Beaker has been playing up. In fact, he has been more of a hindrance than a help: despite my warnings, he wouldn’t stop fiddling with the dials and buttons on the reactor’s control panel. I tried to impress upon him that fooling around like that is never a good idea when you are dealing with a nuclear reactor, but it didn’t make a jot of difference.

The final straw came midway through this morning, when Beaker pressed the big red Self-Destruct button “just to see what would happen”. I was back in the cottage making a pot of tea at the time, but as soon as I heard the warning sirens I dropped everything and raced back over to the workshop. Fortunately my quick reactions meant that I was just able to cancel the self-destruct order before the reactor core was breached. Mr Ahmadinejad was not impressed, I can tell you.

I was extremely disappointed by Beaker’s behaviour, and I have sent him up to his room with no tea as a punishment. Hopefully missing his evening meal will teach him a lesson.

I think for the moment I will have to keep him away from anything potentially dangerous in the workshop. In the meantime, I will give him the relatively easy task of disposing of the spent fuel rods from the reactor once it has cooled down each night. He should be able to carry out that task without anything going wrong.

Anyway, enough of my wittering. Back to business. I have heard back from Mr Esho at the Probate Registry. He tells me that I will have to travel to Nigeria to swear an affidavit in the Federal High Court. I have to say, Mr Okafor, given my current workload, I am not sure that I will be able to spare the time to travel to Nigeria to do this. If I do not meet my deadlines, the Iranian government might withhold payment for work I have carried out. Do you think there is any way we will be able to complete this business without me having to travel over to Nigeria?

Please consider this and get back to me as soon as you can. If there is no way around this, perhaps I could send Beaker to Nigeria on my behalf? He’s not being much use around here at the moment, and given the fact that I am at a crucial stage in my current project, it would be good to get the man out from under my feet for a few days. What do you think?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Justice Kayode Esho

Subject: Regarding your email

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:05:18

Dear Mr Esho,

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately I am extremely busy at the moment, so I doubt that I will have the time to travel all the way to Nigeria myself in order to swear the affidavit in the Federal High Court. However, I am currently looking into the possibility of sending my assistant, Beaker, to Nigeria to swear the affidavit on my behalf.

I will get back to you as soon as I have decided on the best course of action.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Mark Murray

Subject: The Probate Registry’s requirements

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:10:28

Dear Mr Murray,

I am pleased to report that I heard back from Mr Esho at the Probate Registry earlier today. He tells me that I need to travel down to Nigeria in order to swear an affidavit in the High Court. However, due to the pressure of work at the moment I do not think that I will be able to spare the time to do this.

All is not lost though; I am considering sending my assistant, Beaker, to Nigeria to swear the affidavit on my behalf. To be perfectly honest with you he is getting under my feet a little here and it will be good to get him out of the way for a few days to give me a chance to complete the current phase of my latest project in peace.

I will instruct Beaker to contact you directly and make all the necessary arrangements.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I was disappointed to hear that you are not related to the Murrays of Frottagesham. Perhaps your branch of the family is related to the Murrays of Felchingfield instead? I have heard that they are an extremely old branch of the Murray clan. Are you aware of any link there?

From: Beaker

To: Mark Murray

Subject: MESSAGE FROM BEAKER

Sent: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:20:28

Hello Mr Murray,

My name is Billy Beaker but everybody just calls me Beaker. You can call me Beaker too if you like. I work for Mr Murray. Not you, the other Mr Murray. I am his assistant.

Mr Murray has told me that he has a very important job for me to do and that is to go to Nigeria to do some swearing in a court or something like that. He was in a hurry so he did not give me all the details but he asked me to get in touch with you and ask you about it and he told me that you would tell me everything that I need to know about why I need to come to Nigeria and who I will have to swear at when I get there.

So Mr Murray when do you want me to come to Nigeria and what do you want me to do when I get there? Please tell me.

I am looking forward to coming to Nigeria because I have never been to Nigeria or Africa or anywhere much really. Mr Murray tells me that his last assistant had a girlfriend in Nigeria but that things did not turn out very well for him and that is sad. I do not have a girlfriend at all and that makes me even sadder especially because it is valentines day and I did not get a card. Do you have a girlfriend Mr Murray? I hope you do and I hope that she sent you a card on valentines day and that you have bought her some roses.

I have to go now because it is time for me to clear the fuel rods out of the reactor that Mr Murray is working on. He has told me to clean the fuel out of the reactor at the end of every day and to get rid of it and he says that is a very important job.

I look forward to getting an email back from you so that I can make plans to come to Nigeria.

Thanking you,

Beaker

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: The man from the Probate Registry wants me to travel to Nigeria

Sent: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 08:17:42 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

I have received your mail and am happy the Probate have reached you. I will direct the attorney to enquire from the Probate Registry if there is any other alternative way to avoid you coming down to swear the affidavit.

I will get back to you soon.

Regards,

Felix Abua Okafor

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Felix Okafor

Subject: I have decided to send Beaker to Nigeria

Sent: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 09:30:49

Dear Mr Okafor,

Thank you for your email. Please do not worry about my having to travel to Nigeria to swear an affidavit. Having given the matter some considerable thought, I have decided that I will definitely send Beaker to Nigeria on my behalf. He seems to be finding it difficult to settle in here, and as well as getting him out of my hair for a few days, I think the trip might do him some good.

I instructed Beaker yesterday to contact your attorney, Mr Murray, in order to make whatever arrangements are necessary. As far as I am aware, Beaker did so last night. I don’t know if Mr Murray has responded to Beaker as yet.

I have sent Beaker into the village this morning to pick up some provisions. As soon as he returns I will ask him to check his email and see if Mr Murray has got back to him.

I must go: I have an extremely busy day ahead of me today. Mr Ahmadinejad is insisting that we run the reactor at full capacity in order to check its potential power output. Apparently he has been instructed to prepare a comprehensive report on my progress during his visit, so that he can update his superiors in the Iranian government on how things are going when he returns to Tehran next week.

I will have to try and keep Beaker out of the way as much as possible today: the last thing I want is a repeat of yesterday’s fiasco. The man is nothing but a liability sometimes. Hopefully giving him some responsibility in this business transaction of ours will help him to get his feet planted firmly on the ground.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Justice Kayode Esho

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO ASSIST YOU

Sent: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:00:09 -0800 (PST)

Federal Ministry of Justice,
New Federal Secretariat Complex Wing 1B,
1001-1099, 10th Floor, Federal Secretariat Block 1,
Shehu Shagari Way,
Abuja, Nigeria

Attn: Gilbert A Murray,

Be advised that if it will not be possible for you to travel down for the swearing of the affidavit, you can hire the service of an attorney accompanied with a letter of authorisation, or we can assist you further through our legal department at your own cost.

Furthermore, you are advised to make the affidavit payment of $1,900 (one thousand nine hundred United States dollars only) to our legal department to enable them to assist you in normalising of the affidavit in the court for the prompt release of the fund to your account.

The payment should be made by MoneyGram money transfer or Western Union money transfer to the Exchequer Officer (PETER OKOCHA) of this ministry as follows:

RECEIVER’S NAME: PETER OKOCHA
DESTINATION: LAGOS, NIGERIA
TEST QUESTION: COLOUR?
ANSWER: WHITE
MTCN: ?

Make the payment and get back to us immediately with the MoneyGram or Western Union payment information to enable the legal department to conclude your matter with this ministry for the prompt release of your fund.

Your prompt response is expected.

Yours faithfully,

Justice Kayode Esho

From: Mark Murray

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: The Probate Registry’s requirements

Sent: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:19:59 +0000 (GMT)

Attn: Gilbert Murray,

In view of the prevailing circumstance I have enquired from the Probate Registry as to alternative options to avoid you or your assistant Beaker coming down to Nigeria.

I was informed by the Probate that to save you your time and the footwork that you should send the document fees of $1,900 to the agency in the name of the accountant as directed together with a letter of authorisation after which I will be allowed to stand on your behalf.

I have included via email attachment a specimen copy of letter of authorisation. You will have to fill in the spaces and send a copy back to me, a copy of the authorisation letter will also be sent to the Probate Registry.

Please send the filled authorisation letter and the document charges of $1,900 to the Probate Registry as directed so that I can move to the registry to normalise the affidavit on your behalf.

Please treat as very urgent.

Best regards,

Mark Murray

CEO, McMurray Chambers & Associates

(Click to enlarge)

From: Felix Okafor

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY

Sent: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:33:31 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Gilbert Murray,

I was informed by the attorney that there is an alternative considering the time restraint. Have you read from the attorney? If you have not please go ahead and contact him immediately. He will send you a specimen copy of an authorisation letter which you will endorse and send to the agency. I want us to conclude this transaction this week.

Regards,

Felix Abua Okafor

From: Mark Murray

To: Beaker

Subject: Re: MESSAGE FROM BEAKER

Sent: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:39:42 +0000 (GMT)

Attn: Billy Beaker,

Acknowledging your mail. I have reached your boss on the alternative option to save you or your boss the cost, time and footwork of travelling down. Thanks for your concern.

Best regards,

Mark Murray

CEO, McMurray Chambers & Associates

Click here to view the concluding part of this scambust.