A United States, US court has sentenced Nigerian national, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, to more than eight years in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that swindled over 400 elderly victims of more than $6 million.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, in a statement on Monday, confirmed that Akhimie, 41, was sentenced on September 11 to 97 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges.
According to court filings, Akhimie and his accomplices mailed personalised letters to victims in the U.S., impersonating Spanish bank officials and falsely claiming the recipients were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives abroad. Victims were deceived into paying various “processing fees,” including delivery charges and taxes, before accessing the fictitious inheritance.
Instead of receiving any funds, victims’ payments were funneled through a network of intermediaries — including former fraud victims in the U.S. who were manipulated into serving as conduits.
Prosecutors said none of the victims ever received an inheritance. Rather, the fraudsters enriched themselves while preying on the most vulnerable members of society.
“Schemes like this steal not only money but dignity from our seniors. Our Office stands with victims, ensures their voices are heard, and will relentlessly pursue those who prey on them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Quiñones.
Read Also: US Court Jails Extradited Nigerian Newton Jemide Over $8m Disaster Fraud
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division highlighted the importance of international cooperation in cracking down on cross-border scams. He praised the efforts of the UK’s National Crime Agency, Crown Prosecution Service, Europol, and authorities in Spain and Portugal for supporting the investigation.
The case was jointly investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which pledged continued vigilance against financial crimes.
Akhimie is the eighth defendant sentenced in connection with the sprawling inheritance fraud scheme. In April, another Nigerian, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, received an identical 97-month sentence.
U.S. District Court Judge Roy Altman, who presided over Ogbata’s sentencing, previously described the scheme as “an incredibly serious crime” that targeted “the most vulnerable, the least protected members of our society.”
The Department of Justice noted that other defendants in the case had also been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in related proceedings.
The conviction of Akhimie once again underscores Nigeria’s recurring link to cross-border fraud and high-profile scams prosecuted in U.S. courts, ranging from romance fraud to internet schemes.
