Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Kingsley Sebastian Ibhadore, a 40-year-old resident of Glendale, Arizona, has been sentenced to 17 months in prison. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi on May 5, 2025. Ibhadore, a Nigerian citizen and lawful U.S. resident, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit structuring.
Ibhadore's role involved withdrawing over $500,000 in criminal proceeds from bank accounts in amounts below federal reporting requirements to avoid detection by authorities. Acting as a "money mule," he transferred fraud proceeds between fictitious bank accounts under multiple aliases. This activity was part of a larger scheme involving online romance scams.
These scams typically involve criminals impersonating individuals online to gain the trust and affection of victims with the ultimate goal of stealing money. Scammers often create fake profiles and manipulate victims into sending money under false pretenses such as medical emergencies or travel expenses.
Between July 2019 and March 2020, Ibhadore deposited proceeds from these scams into accounts opened with false names and passports. He then withdrew sums designed to avoid triggering financial institutions' currency reporting requirements. Despite knowing the source of the funds, he continued his activities, using fraudulent identities at major banks across Arizona.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service. Kristen Brook and Raymond Woo, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Arizona in Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
