Three Nigerian citizens extradited to U.S. for international fraud scheme


PRESS RELEASE • APRIL 28, 2023

Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham and Jerry Chucks Ozor were extradited from the United Kingdom today.

Three Nigerian Nationals Extradited from the United Kingdom and Spain to Face Fraud Charges.

Indictment Charges Six Nigerian Nationals with Operating International Fraud Scheme That Defrauded Elderly Americans

Three Nigerian nationals were extradited to the Southern District of Florida to face federal charges related to allegations that they operated an international fraud scheme. Kennedy Ikponmwosa was extradited from Spain and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres on April 18. Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham and Jerry Chucks Ozor were extradited from the United Kingdom today and will make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eduardo I. Sanchez on Monday, May 1, in Miami.


Ikponmwosa, 51, Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, and Prince Amos Okey Ezemma, 49, of Madrid, Spain; and Abraham, 44, Ozor, 43, and Emmanuel Samuel, 39, of London, UK, face federal charges in Miami, Florida. Neboh, Ikponmwosa, Abraham, Samuel, and Ozor were arrested in April 2022 by authorities in Madrid and London, based on an indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida, and have remained incarcerated since then. Samuel pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud on March 27.


According to court documents, the defendants are charged with operating an inheritance fraud scheme. Over the course of more than five years, they allegedly sent personalized letters to elderly consumers in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who purportedly had died years before in Spain. Victims were told that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to serve as money mules. According to the indictment, victims who sent money never received their purported inheritance funds.

“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who defraud U.S. consumers, wherever they are located. I thank the Kingdom of Spain and the UK for their tireless efforts in assisting U.S. authorities to find and arrest these individuals so that they may face charges here in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service constantly strives to protect our communities from predatory criminals seeking to abuse and exploit the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “This case is an example of how Postal Inspectors will vigorously pursue fraudsters and ensure that they are brought to justice for the crimes they have committed.”

“These extraditions prove that by pulling law enforcement agencies together, we can best focus on investigating individuals and illicit criminal organizations associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect vulnerable seniors,” Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “I want to thank everyone involved in this investigation and in the extradition process for their dedication; together we have the tools to keep our elderly from falling prey to these scams.”

The defendants are all charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as mail fraud and wire fraud. Neboh and Samuel were both extradited earlier this year. If convicted, Ikponmwosa, Abraham, and Ozor each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and HSI are investigating the case.

Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal provided critical assistance.

https://gazettengr.com/three-nigerian-citizens-extradited-to-u-s-for-international-fraud-scheme/
nlfpmod

Nowhere to hide even within Nigeria

Ok

There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

What a welcome development

slimfit1:
There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

stay away from crime, stop tarnishing the image of our dear country in another man's land

Check well, families of people who commit fraud don't always have good values; they have no name to protect. In fact, there are families you come from, your parents cannot support you if you don't have legit means of livelihood.

That's why I maintain that Nigéria failed when our family units and institutions failed. Unfortunately, things can only get worse because we are quickly losing our value system.

slimfit1:
There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

They were extradited from Europe.

slimfit1:
There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

Hehehehehe

I said to myself in 1998 before cyber crime became a popular menace that I would rather die poor than defraud another person of 1kobo.

I honestly don't know how these fraudsters sleep at night.

Ok

sonature1:
Check well, families of people who commit fraud don't always have good values; they have no name to protect. In fact, there are families you come from, your parents cannot support you if you don't have legit means of livelihood.

That's why I maintain that Nigéria failed when our family units and institutions failed. Unfortunately, things can only get worse because we are quickly losing our value system.

Nigeria lost everything when a policeman that is constitutionally mandated to protect citizens, becomes the one that steals and kills the same citizens.

Very good, say no to crime, including drug barons like the President-select

slimfit1:
There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

from Spain and UK to US. Though I understand your sentiment. It is valid.

And whAt is the super cop still doing in Nigeria 👽👽👽

Toks2008:
I said to myself in 1998 before cyber crime became a popular menace that I would rather die poor than defraud another person of 1kobo.

I honestly don't know how these fraudsters sleep at night.

Those defrauding other zones of their God given petroleum oil hq income tax are not human beings

Hope long years in jail.

kettykin:

Those defrauding other zones of their God given petroleum oil hq income tax are not human beings

Nah same same but we can't justify crime.

Hellupi hellupi
🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

Vaughanlanrewaj:
Nowhere to hide even within Nigeria

But what happened to Nigeria Jack Bauer? Why was he not extradited when he was linked with Hushpuppi....

When will Nigerian FG extradite ABBA Kyari.

Automatic visa.

Hellu Piiiit 1
Hellu piiit 2
Hellu piiit 3

Na Dem

slimfit1:
There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

Did you even read the report? The criminal igbos were extradited from Spain and Britain with the help of the government of those countries. So, every country is against the igbos Turn away from crime and this victim claiming will stop

slimfit1:
There extradition will be very fast no delay they are Igbo, try to extradite an Hausa man the law is very slow to react. God bless chief Sunday Igboho God bless Oduduwa land. Falani people need to explain alot of things to us Southerners this type of union is not sustainable where yours are only for some people.

how did you managed to make this a tribal issue??

Na dem
Ndi developers

Crime inclined brethren. They must do the time if they can do the crime

You still go outside go dey commit crime....


Wetin our Youth want sef u see Visa colet nd av opportunity to try ur luck in another country buh instead dey choose to goan spoil other people chance...