US court sentences Nigerian to 85 months in prison for targeting elderly Americans in inheritance scam

A Nigerian national, Amos Prince Okey Ezemma, has been sentenced to 85 months in prison for his involvement in a sophisticated transnational fraud scheme that defrauded elderly Americans.

The scheme, which targeted vulnerable individuals, involved sending personalized letters to victims falsely claiming to represent a Spanish bank. The letters promised recipients a multimillion-dollar inheritance left by a deceased family member in Portugal.

According to court documents from the US Justice Department, Ezemma was part of a group of fraudsters who manipulated victims into believing they were entitled to the inheritance. To receive the supposed funds, victims were instructed to send money for delivery fees and taxes. The defendants operated a complex network of former victims who acted as intermediaries for receiving and forwarding the fraud proceeds.

Ezemma’s conviction marks the conclusion of the case against all six defendants involved in the scheme. Each of his five co-defendants has already received prison sentences for their roles in the fraud.

Emmanuel Samuel was sentenced to 82 months in prison, Jerry Chucks Ozor received 87 months, Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham was sentenced to 90 months, Kennedy Ikponmwosa received 87 months, and Peter Ezennia Neboh was sentenced to 128 months. In addition to the prison terms, the defendants have been ordered to pay restitution totaling more than $6 million to over 400 victims.

The US Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch has emphasized its commitment to pursuing and prosecuting transnational criminals who defraud American consumers, regardless of their location. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Division, stated, “Targeting the elderly for pure financial gain is beyond shameful, it’s morally reprehensible.”

Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona echoed this sentiment, highlighting the moral repugnance of exploiting the elderly for financial purposes.