Plaintiff Seeks $10M in Damages for Alleged Investment Scam
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Min Ji Goo Dyer filed a first amended complaint in the US District Court for the Northern District of California against Chike Ezeh, Mark Tayor, and unidentified individuals referred to as DOES 1-10. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants orchestrated a sophisticated fraud scheme resulting in the loss of over $10 million of Dyer’s assets.
The complaint details an “advance-fee” scam allegedly led by Ezeh, a resident of Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. According to the filing, Ezeh impersonated actor Ben Barnes, using multiple email accounts to deceive Dyer into believing she was investing in a legitimate joint venture. This venture, purportedly focused on artistic projects like an actor training school and film production facilities, was allegedly a front to siphon funds. From July 2021 to July 2022, Dyer transferred over $3 million to various US bank accounts, including those at JPMorgan Chase, Key Bank, Wells Fargo, Academy Bank, and Boeing Employees Credit Union, as directed by the defendants.
The lawsuit further alleges that in July 2022, Ezeh, posing as part of the venture’s management team, instructed Dyer to open an account on TFXCMarkets.com, a fraudulent trading platform. The platform displayed a fabricated balance of $3 million, which Dyer believed represented her investment returns. However, when she attempted to withdraw these funds, her requests were denied, and she was told she needed to pay additional fees to “upgrade” her account. Between August 23 and August 30, 2022, Dyer sent approximately $332,582 in Bitcoin to a blockchain address provided by TFXCMarkets.com. The platform allowed her to withdraw only $5,000, allegedly to maintain her trust in the scheme.
In December 2022, Dyer received communications from Mark Tayor, who claimed to be the CEO of TFXCMarkets.com and used a phone number with an Oakland, California area code. Tayor allegedly demanded further payments, leading Dyer to transfer approximately $668,202 in Bitcoin in January 2023. Despite these payments, TFXCMarkets.com continued to block her withdrawal requests and later demanded an additional $180,000, falsely claiming it was required by a “Federal Service.”
The complaint states that a 25-month investigation, involving ten third-party subpoenas, confirmed Ezeh as the primary orchestrator of the fraud. Subpoenaed records allegedly show that Ezeh controlled the email accounts used to impersonate Barnes and provided payment instructions for both the joint venture and TFXCMarkets.com. The filing also links Tayor to Ezeh, noting that both directed funds to connected accounts, though their exact relationship remains under investigation.
Dyer’s lawsuit brings claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), as well as common law claims for conversion, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy. It also cites violations of California Penal Code § 496. The complaint alleges that the defendants’ actions constituted a pattern of racketeering activity, including wire fraud, by using US-based phone numbers and bank accounts to perpetrate the scheme.
Dyer seeks compensatory, treble, and punitive damages of at least $10 million, restitution of all funds, and an injunction to prevent the defendants from transferring her assets. She also requests attorneys’ fees, pre- and post-judgment interest, and a jury trial.
Please contact BlockTribune for access to a copy of this filing.
