The last member of a Nigerian inheritance scam ring that preyed on elderly U.S. citizens has been sentenced to prison.
Amos Prince Okey Ezemma, a 50-year-old Nigerian, was sentenced to 7 years and one month in prison for his role in the transnational scam.
Ezemma and his associates used vulnerable U.S. residents, sending them personalized letters that falsely claimed they were entitled to large sums of money as inheritance.
But before the victims were supposed to receive this money, they were forced to send money for several false taxes and fees.
Ezemma was part of a larger international criminal network, and its success ultimately caused international cooperation to catch and prosecute its members.
The Web of Fraud
The con worked by persuading previous victims to unknowingly join the scheme. These people were asked to accept money from new victims, which they would then transfer—often internationally—to other con artists.
Authorities had a difficult time determining the true source of the fraud due to this complex method they formed. However, the fraud ring was eventually taken down following an extensive investigation that involved numerous agencies from the US, Europe, and Africa.
Judge Kathleen M. Williams presided over the case and ordered restitution payments to the victims as part of the sentence.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch played a role in pursuing the case, alongside agencies like Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Other Members of the Fraud Ring
Amos Prince Okey Ezemma was not acting alone in this inheritance scam.
Several other individuals, including Jonathan Abraham and Jerry Ozor, were also involved. Their roles in the scam were similar, involving the creation of fraudulent letters and manipulating victims into sending money under false pretences.
Emmanuel Samuel was sentenced to 82 months in prison on July 21, 2023. On July 25, 2023, Jerry Chucks Ozor received 87 months. Iheanychukwu Jonathan Abraham was sentenced to 90 months in prison on August 29, 2023.
On October 20, 2023, Williams gave Kennedy Ikponmwosa an 87-month sentence. Ezennia Peter Neboh received the longest sentence on November 2, 2023, which was for 10 years and 8 months.
Authorities from Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and the U.S. worked together to track the fraudsters’ movements and financial transactions, leading to successful arrests and convictions
Impacts on Nigeria’s Reputation
Although the victims have received justice, Nigeria and its people are also affected by this case.
Nigerian nationals have been involved in international fraud cases more frequently, which has led to the perception around the world that Nigerians are heavily involved in criminal activity, particularly cybercrime.
Because of this, the reputation of sincere Nigerians living abroad has suffered, and many now find themselves under more scrutiny just because of their nationality.
The way that the United States and the United Kingdom interact with Nigerians both personally and institutionally may be impacted by a small group of dishonest people.
For instance, because of potential criminal activity, Nigerians may have to wait longer for the processing of their visa applications. To avoid becoming involved in fraud or money laundering schemes, financial institutions may also apply stronger controls when interacting with Nigerian clients.
The expectation is that these cases will decrease in frequency and Nigeria’s reputation will improve as law enforcement agencies step up their efforts to take down transnational crime networks.
