Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced by a United States federal jury to 30 years mixed jail time period for defrauding some US residents of $3,500,000.
This was contained in a press launch made out there on the US Division of Justice web site and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Monday.
In accordance with the assertion, the duo of Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived their victims by telling them that they’d obtained substantial inheritances that required some cash to assert.
The duo would then request their victims to ship some quantities of cash with a promise to refund them as soon as the inheritances had been claimed.
It additionally famous that the duo carried out romance scams by establishing romantic relationships with their victims and demanding them to ship cash after they’d constructed belief of their victims.
It learn, “An undercover legislation enforcement investigation has resulted in federal jail sentences for 2 Nigerian nationals residing within the Chicago suburbs who performed on-line inheritance scams and different fraud schemes.
“Utilizing aliases, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu communicated with victims all through the USA, convincing them they’d obtained substantial inheritances and wanted to ship cash to people related to the defendants as a way to declare it.
“Along with the inheritance rip-off, the pair carried out a web based romance rip-off that concerned speaking with victims by way of social media and courting web sites, constructing belief with the victims by means of a purported on-line romance, and convincing them to ship cash to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie additionally orchestrated a ‘enterprise e-mail compromise’ rip-off that focused company e-mail accounts.
“The fraud schemes had been uncovered by a covert legislation enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of not less than $3.5 million.”
The assertion famous that following their arraignment on no fewer than 14 counts, the duo pleaded responsible to their varied modifications.
Upon their responsible plea, Ibekie was sentenced to twenty years jail time period on Thursday whereas Aniukwu was sentenced on November 8 to 10 years jail time period.
The assertion continued, “A federal jury earlier this 12 months convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Sick., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, cash laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, and passport fraud. U.S. District Decide Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to twenty years in federal jail.
“Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Sick., pleaded responsible final 12 months to wire fraud and cash laundering prices. Decide Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to 10 years in jail.”
In the meantime, an confederate of Ibekie and Aniukwu, who’s a US citizen, Jennifer Gosha, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18 following her responsible plea.
“A 3rd defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Sick., pleaded responsible earlier this 12 months to prices of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Decide Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the assertion concluded.