Six Nigerian nationals have been charged with a large transnational fraud scheme.
The indictment, unsealed Feb. 21, charges Ezennia Peter Neboh, Kennedy Ikponmwosa and Prince Amos Okey Ezemma, of Madrid, Spain; and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, Emmanuel Samuel and Jerry Chucks Ozor, of London, according to a Feb. 23 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release.
“Schemes that prey on the elderly are particularly insidious,” Principal Deputy Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in the release. “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who defraud U.S. consumers, wherever they are located. I thank the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom for their tireless efforts in assisting U.S. authorities to find and arrest these individuals so that they may face charges here in the United States.”
Court documents show, over the course of more than five years, the six individuals allegedly sent fraudulent personal letters to elderly U.S. residents claiming to represent a bank in Spain, according to the release. Recipients of the letters were falsely notified they were the beneficiary of a multimillion-dollar inheritance left by a family member who died in Spain and that to receive the inheritance they had to send money to cover delivery fees, taxes and payments to avoid questioning from government authorities.
The victims who sent these payments never received any money in return, the release reported.
Samuel made his initial court appearance Feb. 23 after being extradited from the U.K., according to the release. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted.
“The successful extradition of the defendant is the result of a dynamic and coordinated investigative effort by HSI, and our law enforcement and judicial partners,” Homeland Security Investigations Arizona Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown said in the release. “Crimes aimed at the elderly have devastating financial effects. HSI will continue to aggressively investigate greedy swindlers who prey on the vulnerable for profit.”
