When "Clout" Becomes a Crime: What Blessing CEO and Trevor Jacob Have in Common

Most of you have must have heard about Trevor Jacob, the American YouTuber who deliberately crashed his own plane just to film it for views. He jumped out mid-air with a selfie stick, lied to federal investigators, and even secretly destroyed the wreckage to cover his tracks. That stunt eventually earned him six months in a federal prison. The US government made one thing clear: clout is not a get-out-of-jail card.

In Nigeria we are having our own version of the Trevor Jacob story and the name at the center of it is Blessing CEO.

Years ago, Blessing CEO famously claimed ownership of a multi-million naira mansion belonging to a billionaire, Onyeze Na Chime. She was eventually caught, disgraced, and forced to apologize on camera.

A serious allegation against Blessing right now involves an alleged staged Stage 4 cancer diagnosis. A makeup artist and real cancer survivor, Deborah Mbara, has come forward claiming that she privately shared her histology report with Blessing to offer encouragement. That same report allegedly ended up doctored and posted online as proof of Blessing's own illness.

The Nigerian Medical Association's Delta State chapter has since confirmed that the document in circulation was an altered version of Deborah's original medical record. By the time the story started unraveling, millions of naira had reportedly already been donated by sympathetic followers. Blessing has since called it a "miscommunication" and quietly deactivated her social media accounts.

This is where the law comes in.

The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 (as amended) is not toothless. Section 22 on Identity Theft covers the use of another person's identifying information to further an unlawful activity. Using Deborah Mbara's private medical document and presenting it as your own to attract sympathy and money is a textbook example.

Beyond the Cybercrimes Act, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, is equally relevant here. Obtaining money from the public through false pretenses, colloquially referred to as 419, which is exactly what soliciting donations using a fabricated illness amounts to, is a serious offence under that law.

Trevor Jacob was jailed not because he made a video, but because he lied, destroyed evidence, and endangered lives for engagement. Back here in Nigeria, the tools exist to hold influencers to the same standard. The only question is whether the authoritieswill use them.

Note: ​In the digital age, discernment is a survival skill. Verify before you believe, and remember that behind every viral "miracle" or "disaster," there might just be a selfie stick and a lie.