Five Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to a combined 1,549 months—equivalent to nearly 129 years—in a U.S. federal court for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that victimized over 100 individuals across the United States.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant of the Eastern District of Texas handed down the sentences to Damilola Kumapayi, Sandra Iribhogbe, Edgal Iribhogbe, Chidindu Okeke, and Chiagoziem Okeke.
The defendants had previously pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, the group was part of a sophisticated transnational criminal network engaged in various forms of fraud.
Their operations included romance scams, business email compromise (BEC), investor fraud, and unemployment insurance fraud—tactics that collectively defrauded victims of more than $17 million.
Authorities stated that the fraudsters primarily targeted elderly victims, often using online dating platforms and other deceptive means to build trust and exploit their targets.
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The Department of Justice described the scheme as “well-coordinated,” emphasizing the deliberate and calculated nature of the crimes.
“Transnational organised criminals targeting the hard-earned savings of elderly and vulnerable populations are simply despicable,” acting U.S. attorney Jay Combs for the Eastern District of Texas said. “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”
According to court filings, investigations by the FBI, Homeland Security, and other law enforcement agencies revealed that the gang—active since around January 2017—defrauded more than 100 victims, including individuals, companies, and government entities worldwide.
The Nigerian fraudsters managed to steal over $17 million, which they laundered through a network of bank accounts. The funds were then transferred to co-conspirators and businesses across Africa and Asia.
“The defendants were part of a transnational organised crime syndicate that defrauded victims collectively out of millions of dollars. For some individuals, this was their life savings, and they were unable to financially recover,” FBI Dallas special agent in charge Joseph Rothrock said.
He added, “We hope these sentences give them a sense of comfort and send a clear message that the FBI is committed to pursuing justice for victims.”
After their arrest, all five defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. In his ruling, the judge sentenced Chidindu, Chiagoziem, and Iribhogbe each to 40 years in prison.
Ms. Iribhogbe, however, was given a separate sentence of over 30 years, while Mr. Kumapayi received a nine-year prison term.
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