Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced to a combined 30 years in prison by a U.S. federal court for defrauding American citizens of $3.5 million through romance and inheritance scams.
The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed the convictions in a press release on Monday, obtained by PUNCH Metro.
According to the statement, Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived victims by claiming they had substantial inheritances that required payment of certain fees to access. Victims were persuaded to send money with promises of reimbursement once the supposed inheritances were claimed.
The duo also engaged in romance scams, posing as romantic partners on social media and dating platforms. After gaining their victims’ trust, they requested money, further exploiting the relationships they had built.
“An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes,” the Department of Justice revealed.
The fraud schemes also included a business email compromise scam targeting corporate email accounts. Losses from these schemes totaled at least $3.5 million.
The statement noted that Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Illinois, was convicted on 14 counts, including wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, passport fraud, and making false statements to a bank. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison last Thursday.
Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Illinois, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering last year. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on November 8, 2024.
Additionally, a third accomplice, 52-year-old U.S. citizen Jennifer Gosha of Oak Park, Illinois, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making false statements to federal agents. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2024.
The Department of Justice emphasized that these convictions are the result of a covert investigation aimed at curbing online fraud.
