A Nigerian national pleaded guilty recently to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly and vulnerable consumers across the United States.
According to court documents, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years.
The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before.
Akhimie and his co-conspirators allegedly told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities.
Akhimie and his co-conspirators allegedly collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them.
Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Akhimie admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
On June 17, Akhimie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Akhimie faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Seven other co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme.
On November 1, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ezennia Peter Neboh, who was extradited from Spain, to 128 months of imprisonment.
On October 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 97 months of imprisonment.
Three other defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor, and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to prison sentences of 82 months, 87 months, and 90 months, respectively, for their roles in the scheme.
Amos Prince Okey Ezemma was paroled into the United States from Nigeria and was sentenced in July 2024 to 90 months imprisonment for his role in the scheme.
Lastly, on April 25, the Honorable Roy K. Altman sentenced Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, who was extradited from Portugal, to 97 months of incarceration for his role in the scheme.
