Three Nigerian nationals have been sentenced in the United States for participating in a prolonged fraud scheme that defrauded vulnerable elderly victims, according to U.S. authorities.
Key Sentences and Penalties
- Fatai Okunola, 38, from Kalamazoo, received a prison sentence exceeding 10 years and must pay over $730,000 in restitution. His charges included making false statements during naturalization and money laundering, both served concurrently.
- Oluwaseyi Adeola, 34, from Dallas, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison with a restitution order of approximately $410,000.
- Ijeoma Adeola, 36, also from Dallas, received three years of probation for misprision of a felony and was ordered to pay nearly $49,000 in restitution.
Fraud Scheme Operations The defendants collaborated with co-conspirators based in Nigeria to deceive U.S. residents, primarily targeting elderly and vulnerable individuals. Their strategy involved:
- Creating fake identities on social media, messaging apps, and through phone calls.
- Developing online relationships with victims to gain trust.
- Directing victims to send money under false pretenses.
The trio opened multiple bank accounts and managed P.O. boxes using aliases and shell businesses. The funds collected were circulated among themselves and sent to Nigerian partners. Some funds were also used by Okunola to assist in purchasing vehicles for export to Nigeria.
Financial Impact and Timeline The scheme, active between 2017 and 2022, defrauded victims of over $2 million. Some victims faced severe financial hardships, including losing retirement savings and taking loans against their homes.
Justice and Official Statement U.S. Attorney Mark Totten emphasized the devastating effects of the crime, stating that financial fraud is not a “faceless” crime. He highlighted the defendants’ exploitation of modern technology to target vulnerable victims.
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