A US-based Nigerian athlete, Aniekeme Etim, 24, of Marietta, Georgia, has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg for her role in a large-scale international fraud scheme. Etim is the fifth and final defendant convicted in the case.
The case originated with the arrests of two William Carey University student-athletes, Emmanuel Ineh and Toluwani Adebakin, in 2022. According to court documents, Ineh and Adebakin admitted to “engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activities,” which involved funneling tens of thousands of dollars obtained through romance scams, money scams, and military scams to perpetrators in Nigeria.
Prosecutors presented evidence revealing a network involving athletes from William Carey, the University of Alabama, Louisiana State University, and the University of Florida. These athletes, none of whom had direct contact with the victims, provided U.S. addresses for the scammers to collect money.
Over $820,000 was stolen from more than 100 victims across the country. The athletes then transferred these funds overseas.
Etim, a former track and field athlete at William Carey, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an unlicensed money transmission business. She received a sentence of three years’ probation and was ordered to pay a fine of $74,847.52 and restitution of $123,116.50.
The other defendants received varying sentences, including prison time, supervised release, fines, and restitution. All face potential deportation.
“This case highlights the disturbing trend of cybercrime targeting innocent victims,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who participate in these schemes, regardless of their location or background.”
