Ten Nigerian nationals have been convicted in the United States for their roles in a sophisticated international wire fraud and business email compromise scheme that siphoned about $215 million from more than 1,000 victims across the world.
The convictions were secured at a federal court in Ohio after the defendants pleaded guilty to charges bordering on wire fraud, money laundering and computer-based email compromise offences, in a case presided over by Judge James Knepp II.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Nigerians were part of a wider 25-member criminal network that included 15 American nationals as well as suspects from Ghana. The syndicate operated across 47 U.S. states and 19 countries.
Among those convicted are five naturalised American citizens of Nigerian origin: Ayobami Osas Christopher, Ayorinde Emmanuel Adebayo, Olabode Bankole, Chukwuemeka Evulukwu and Kingsley Owusu.
Others are Nigerian citizens resident in the United States, identified as Emmanuel Okereke, Olalekan Bashiru, Jeremiah Agina and Ademola Balogun.
Also linked to the scheme is Michael Awoyemi, who was separately convicted by a jury, while a Ghanaian national, Emmanuel Essilfie, was identified among participants.
Court documents revealed that the syndicate specialised in business email compromise (BEC), a form of cyber fraud in which hackers infiltrate corporate and personal email accounts to monitor communications and impersonate legitimate parties.
After gaining access, members of the group allegedly studied business transactions between victims and their partners before sending convincing fake payment requests designed to appear legitimate.
Once payments were made, the funds were quickly diverted through a complex web of fraudulent bank accounts and cash transfer channels to obscure their origin.
Authorities said victims were located in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Panama, Bermuda and Romania, among others.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said proceeds from the fraud were laundered using cashier’s cheques, shell companies and money service businesses.
One such outlet, New Dolton Currency Exchange in the Chicago area, was allegedly used to process fraudulent transactions. Its operator, Lon Goodman, is currently standing trial for allegedly accepting suspicious cheques despite red flags.
In one of the transactions cited in court, a victim company reportedly transferred $2.7 million into a shell account controlled by members of the syndicate.
Investigators also confirmed the seizure of assets linked to the proceeds of the crime, including approximately $1.2 million in cash, cryptocurrency holdings, and high-end luxury items.
Recovered items include a Patek Philippe Nautilus wristwatch valued at $45,000, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak worth $30,000, a Richard Mille Felipe Massa timepiece estimated at $140,000, and a luxury property in Lawrenceville, Georgia, measuring 4,423 square feet.
Authorities said sentencing dates are yet to be fixed, adding that each defendant will be sentenced based on the individual circumstances of their involvement in the criminal enterprise.
The U.S. Department of Justice described the scheme as one of the most extensive email fraud and money laundering networks prosecuted in recent years, noting its cross-border reach and scale of financial losses.
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