Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a Nigerian national, was sentenced to 97 months in U.S. prison after admitting to defrauding over 400 Americans of more than USD 6 million through a scam promising inheritances and demanding advance payments.
A U.S. federal court has sentenced 41-year-old Nigerian national Ehis Lawrence Akhimie to 97 months in prison for orchestrating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 Americans.
According to court documents, Mr. Akhimie and his co-conspirators operated by sending personalised letters through sophisticated websites, claiming to represent a Spanish bank. These letters falsely informed elderly victims that they were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives.
Victims were then asked to pay “delivery fees, taxes, and other payments” to avoid interference by government authorities before they could receive the supposed inheritance. In total, Akhimie admitted to stealing more than USD 6 million.
He was convicted together with other fraudsters in the same ring, several of whom had already been sentenced. Others, including defendants extradited from Spain and the UK, received prison terms ranging from 82 to 128 months.
U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones commented: “Schemes like this steal not only money but dignity from our seniors. Our Office stands with victims, ensures their voices are heard, and will relentlessly pursue those who prey on them.”