Two Nigerian nationals have been sentenced in the United States for their roles in a wire-fraud scheme that defrauded victims of more than $5 million, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, was sentenced by a federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia to five years and three months in prison. He was also ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on May 20, 2024.
His co-defendant, 35-year-old Ebuka Raphael Umeti, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on August 27, 2024. Umeti was also ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution following his conviction by a federal jury on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and computer fraud.
Court documents show that between February 2016 and July 2021, Okwonna, Umeti, and their co-conspirators executed a sophisticated phishing scheme. They sent emails disguised as communications from banks or vendors, which contained malware. Once opened, the malware gave the fraudsters unauthorized access to victims’ computer systems and email accounts, allowing them to initiate fraudulent wire transfers.
The scheme led to more than $5 million in losses for businesses in the United States and elsewhere.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
