Desperate times call for desperate measures. I almost became the victim of an international scam, had I not honored my instincts. I met Godson Nwigwe at a Starbucks in Los Angeles at Detroit and Wilshire in Miracle Mile. Godson is from Nigeria, which I have since learned is a red alarm, sorry, but I have been reading up on Nigerian con artists, and they really are amazing.
Somehow he knew I was looking for work and the psychological battle began. I revealed to him that I worked in entertainment and he took that bit of information and ran. He asked if I was interested in helping his ministry, productionwise, as he was about to launch a televised ministry Billy Graham style. This also seemed suspicious. I took his email address and decided to look him up on the internet and found several listings under his name, many non-profit organizations in New York City, Baltimore, all over the US popped up; being nave this seemed to be evidence enough. This really should have been more suspicious to me, but then again, desperate times I gave him my resume and the negotiations began. I had insisted he show me the offices he claimed to have at 5150 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, I found online that he also has this address listed: 8670 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211. He also mentioned that he bought another office on Reeves Blvd.in Beverly Hills. He mentioned having a personal jet for his ministries and also did not drive, but instead relied on his drivers and a tracking device to protect him from people who wanted his money. Yeah this is a ministry, and yes, all this seemed very suspicious, and did the mention that, the office I would be working from was under construction. Very convenient for his ruse. I demanded he take me to the offices anyway and give me a contract for the position we negotiated, he said the offices would be finished that week. I drove by the building to verify this information, and yes, it was under construction. That day, he also agreed to give me a contract and we played phone tag all day. Finally, he asked to meet me late at night, 9 PM, at a Starbucks. Very weird, but I decided it could be a way to smoke him out. I recruited a male friend of mine to accompany me to see what this mans true intentions were; we all know they were no good. Godson gave me the location of the Starbucks where we would meet (Venice and Sepulveda) and it turned out to be a dark street corner in Culver City, by several seedy looking hotels, and no Starbucks, but a Subway. Yes, I know, I should not have gone, and should have double checked. Looking back, I think it was more dangerous than originally suspected. Upon arrival, I demanded my contract, asked him why we were meeting at the corner so late, AFTER he finished his phone conversation with someone in his native tongue. He got on the phone when he saw my male friend. We believe he called off the van that was going to abduct me. Godson was either drunk or on drugs, not the man I met, who was well groomed and articulate and seemed intelligent. This time he seemed high and not so godly. He managed to maintain a conversation with my friend while keeping a faade. I was very upset realizing that his intentions were bad, luckily my friend pulled me out of the situation. I was definitely going to be a member of the white slave market or something worse. When I got back into my car, chills and goose bumps ran through my body, signs that I averted great danger. Godson had the audacity to leave me a message on my voice mail the following day, to lure me back into whatever he wanted. At this point I decided to verify with the building managers if there were offices under his name at their locations, taken from information off his business cards, stationary, and online - the managers verified that there were no offices under construction under his name, ministry name or, something even remotely close. I dialed all the phone numbers taken from his business card and his stationary, he even had a 1-800 prayer line, and all of them were not working, or a different business, or a fax machine. I know he is running something very illegitimate; he seemed to need to trust me with his money. I went to the police and they basically scolded me for being so foolish to believe a scam or for being taken. I did not go back home for a whole week, you see, I had my entire address on my resume, another lesson learned. Godson is definitely not a son of God. Be careful out there. I write this and am embarrassed for being so trusting and stupid, I am highly educated, and a person of faith, and people can prey upon this. Very sad. Be careful out there.
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