US Court Jails 5 Nigerians 159 Years Over $17m Fraud

Five Nigerians are to spend a combined 159 years in prison in the United States for a $17 million fraud scheme affecting over 100 individuals, companies, and government entities.

They were handed the sentence by a U.S. federal court, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced.

The convictions follow years of investigations by anti-fraud agencies in the country, of crime ring involved in a mix of romance scams, business email compromise, unemployment insurance fraud, and investor fraud to perpetrate its acts.

The convicted individuals, Damilola Kumapayi, Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, Edgal Iribhogbe, Chidindu Okeke, and Chiagoziem Okeke, were convicted of targeting victims, many of them elderly and vulnerable people and fleecing huge sums of money.

Upon arraignment, the suspects were charged for offences including conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant handed down the sentences following their convictions.

They allegedly deployed fake online relationships, compromised business communications, and false investment opportunities in their operations spanning several years beginning January 2017.

Official records on the matter stated that some of victims lost their life savings, suffered deep emotional and financial trauma.

“The scheme resulted in approximately $17 million fraudulently obtained from at least 100 individual victims, companies, and government entities from across the world”, an official statement on the case stated adding:

“The scheme specifically targeted elderly persons and used various schemes, such as online dating sites, to lure their victims.

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“Once funds were obtained from their victims, the defendants laundered the money through a network of various bank accounts and sent money to bank accounts, co-conspirators and businesses located in Africa and Asia.”

Chidindu Okeke and Chiagoziem Okeke (both 32, of Houston) and Edgal Iribhogbe, 51, of Allen, were each sentenced to 480 months (40 years) in prison after being found guilty at trial. Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, 50, of Plano, received 365 months, while Damilola Kumapayi, 39, also of Plano, was sentenced to 109 months after entering a guilty plea.

Officials praised law enforcement’s coordinated efforts and emphasised that the U.S. remains committed to holding international fraud rings accountable.