How two Nigerians chop prison sentences for US sake of multimillion-dollar wire fraud

One 26-year-old Nigerian man wey dey live for US on Green Card don chop 32 months prison sentence for laundering fraud proceeds through one unlicensed money transmitting business, Acting US Attorney John GE Marck tok.

According to one statement by di US Attorney Office, Southern District of Texas, Ayobami Omoniyi bin plead guilty for 19, August 2024.

Dis sentencing dey come days afta anoda Nigerian citizen James Junior Aliyu chop 90 months prison sentence for im role in a multi-million-dollar wire fraud and money laundering scheme.

Na District Judge Andrew S Hanen sentence Omoniyi and also order am to pay $202,273.80 in restitution.

"No be US citizen, e dey expected to dey removed from di kontri afta im imprisonment. At di hearing, di court hear additional information say Omoniyi bin don dey commit crimes since e arrive for United States, and say im be recruiter for di scheme." di statement tok.

According to di statement, for 2021, Omoniyi and odas bin operate one unlicensed money transmitting business wey bin receive and transfer funds from business email compromise victims, including one fishing company for Australia.

"Victims bin receive spoofed emails wey appear to come from legitimate businesses and bin dey tricked into sending payments to accounts conspirators control," di statement add.

As part of im plea, Omoniyi bin admit say im move money through multiple bank accounts.

"Di funds bin originate from fraudsters wey bin dey involved in one business email compromise wire fraud scheme.

"Omoniyi also acknowledge say im bin receive victims funds and, for a fee, transmit di fraud proceeds to odas," di statement add.

James Junior Aliyu chop 90 months in prison

James Junior Aliyu, wey chop 90 months jail term, bin dey live for South Africa at di time of im criminal conduct.

Dem extradite am to di United States to face di criminal charges and Judge Boardman wey sentence am also order am to repay $2,389,130 to di victims.

According to one statement by di US Attorney Office, District of Maryland, Aliyu for 2025 bin plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

"Aliyu bin acknowledge say im bin conspire wit odas, including Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo, 31, and Henry Onyedikachi Echefu, 34, to deceive and defraud multiple American victims. All three na Nigerian citizens wey bin dey live for South Africa at di time of di crimes," di statement tok.

According to im plea agreement, from February 2017 until at least July 2017, Aliyu bin conspire wit odas to perpetrate one business email compromise scheme.

Aliyu and im co-conspirators, including accomplices wey dey live for Maryland, bin gain unauthorised access to email accounts associated wit individuals and businesses wey dem bin target.

As part of di scheme, co-conspirators bin send false wiring instructions to di victims email accounts from "spoofed" emails, wey be messages from forged sender addresses.

According to di statement, co-conspirators den send messages to deceive di victims into sending money to bank accounts di perpetrators bin dey control called "drop accounts."

"During di same time frame, Aliyu and im accomplices bin conspire to commit money laundering by disbursing di fraudulently obtained funds for di drop accounts to oda accounts.

"Co-conspirators bin move di stolen money by initiating account transfers, withdrawing cash, and obtaining cashier checks. Dem also write checks to oda individuals and entities to hide di true ownership and source of dis assets.

"In total, Aliyu and im co-conspirators bin attempt to defraud victims of at least $10.4 million, and di victims bin suffer actual loss of at least $2,389,130," di statement add.