The group used online dating sites, fake investment opportunities, and compromised emails to defraud victims
A U.S. federal court has sentenced five Nigerian nationals to a total of 159 years in prison for their roles in a $17 million fraud scheme that defrauded over 100 individuals and organizations. The Department of Justice said the transnational crime ring employed romance scams, business email compromise, unemployment insurance fraud, and fake investment offers to target mostly elderly victims.
Those convicted are Damilola Kumapayi, Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, Edgal Iribhogbe, Chidindu Okeke, and Chiagoziem Okeke. According to prosecutors, the scheme began in 2017 and spanned several years.
“The scheme resulted in approximately $17 million fraudulently obtained from at least 100 individual victims, companies, and government entities from across the world,” the DOJ stated. “Once funds were obtained, the defendants laundered the money through a network of various bank accounts.”
Three received 40-year sentences, one was sentenced to over 30 years, and another received over 9 years after a guilty plea.