A United States federal court has sentenced five Nigerians to a combined 159 years in prison for orchestrating a $17 million fraud scheme that defrauded over 100 Americans, companies, and government entities.
The convictions, announced by the US Department of Justice, followed a multi-year investigation into a transnational organised crime ring.
The ring used a mix of romance scams, business email compromise, unemployment insurance fraud, and investor fraud to target victims, many of them elderly and vulnerable.
The convicted individuals, Damilola Kumapayi, Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, Edgal Iribhogbe, Chidindu Okeke, and Chiagoziem Okeke, were found to have played key roles in the scheme, which began around January 2017 and spanned several years.
According to court documents, the group lured victims through fake online relationships, compromised business communications, and false investment opportunities. Once the funds were secured, the money was laundered through a network of bank accounts and transferred to accomplices and entities across Africa and Asia.
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The statement partly reads, “The scheme resulted in approximately $17 million fraudulently obtained from at least 100 individual victims, companies, and government entities from across the world. The scheme specifically targeted elderly persons and used various schemes, such as online dating sites, to lure their victims.
“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.”
Following their arrest, the defendants were arraigned on multiple counts bordering on conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, which they pleaded guilty to.
Upon their guilty plea, U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant handed down their sentences.
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.
Prosecutors said the victims, some of whom lost their life savings, suffered deep emotional and financial trauma.
Officials praised law enforcement’s coordinated efforts and emphasised that the U.S. remains committed to bringing fraudsters who prey on its citizens to justice.
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