Two Nigerians Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu have been sentenced to a combined 30 years in US federal prison for defrauding victims of $3.5 million through inheritance and romance scams.
The US Department of Justice, in a press release, revealed that the two fraudsters tricked victims by claiming they had substantial inheritances that required payment to access. Additionally, they conducted romance scams, forming fake relationships online, gaining trust, and persuading victims to send money.
The crimes were uncovered during an undercover investigation, which also exposed their involvement in business email compromise (BEC) schemes targeting corporate email accounts.
Mr Ibekie, 59, was convicted on 14 counts, including wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, passport fraud, and making false statements to a bank. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on November 23, 2024, by US District Judge Steven Seeger.
Mr Aniukwu, 50, pleaded guilty in 2023 to wire fraud and money laundering charges. He received a 10-year sentence on November 8, 2024.
Both men operated from Chicago suburbs using social media, dating websites and fraudulent schemes to defraud victims.
The investigation also implicated Jennifer Gosha, 52, a US citizen from Oak Park, Illinois.
“A third defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the press release said.
