A US court has jailed a Nigerian, Okechukwu Iwuji, alongside two others, for advance fee and money laundering scheme involving over $2m.
According to The PUNCH, an attorney with the US Attorney’s Office in Guam, Shawn Anderson, revealed that Iwuji, 38, and the other defendants earned about $2,600,000 through fraud by convincing investors on Guam to pay fictitious fees for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Sally Roberto, 56, of Santa Rita, and Monique Jones, 49, of Dallas, Texas, are the other prisoners.
They received their sentences for their offences on Tuesday and Thursday.
After previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Iwuji, a Nigerian national who had previously lived in Orlando, Florida, was given a sentence of 45 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $475,710 in restitution, a $100 mandatory assessment fee, and a forfeiture money judgement.
“This far-ranging conspiracy preyed on 60 victims, nearly all of whom live in Guam,” Anderson said in a statement published by the US Attorney Office.
“These scams are difficult to investigate and prosecute due to the interstate and transnational nature of the criminal activity. Our success in this matter is the result of a team effort across multiple jurisdictions, with outstanding leadership by prosecutor David. We will continue to pursue the collection of restitution for those harmed by the defendant’s conduct. The public must remain vigilant against this type of fraud,” Anderson added.
Iwuji collected from Roberto and other accomplices at least $475,710 in victim monies as part of the scheme, and she moved some of the money to accounts held by third parties in Nigeria.
Sally was given a 33-month prison term, three years of post-release supervision, a $3,900 assessment charge, and a $1,030,990 forfeiture money judgement in addition to being required to pay restitution of $1,030,990.
Mekayda was given a sentence of 36 months in jail, three years of probation, $387,160 in restitution, a $1,600 obligatory assessment charge, and a $801,210 forfeiture money judgement. She was also required to pay these additional fees.
Monique was given a 48-month jail term, three years of post-release supervision, a $2,700 obligatory assessment charge, and a $1,111,280 forfeiture money judgement in addition to being required to pay $578,130 in restitution.
Special Agent Steven Merrill of the Federal Bureau of Investigation stated that the FBI would closely watch similar situations and make sure that the offenders were brought to justice.
“This sentence should make the public aware that these types of advance fees, associated with inheritance scams, will be investigated by the FBI and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
“If it is too good to be true, it probably is,” Merrill said.
