A 36-year-old Nigerian man, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, has been sentenced to over eight years (97 months) in a U.S. federal prison for leading a $6 million international inheritance fraud scheme that deceived more than 400 elderly and vulnerable Americans.
According to court filings, Ogbata was part of a fraudulent network that sent deceptive letters across the U.S., falsely informing recipients that they were beneficiaries of large inheritances from deceased relatives in Spain. The letters, appearing to come from a Spanish bank, instructed victims to pay various fees such as taxes and processing charges in order to claim the non-existent inheritance.
Victims were tricked into wiring funds through a layered network of money mules, many of whom were unknowingly involved, ultimately sending the money to Ogbata and his co-conspirators. No real inheritance ever existed.
Ogbata pleaded guilty to defrauding victims of more than $6 million. The U.S. Department of Justice hailed the case as a significant victory against cross-border fraud, made possible through collaboration with law enforcement partners in the UK, Spain, Portugal, and Europol.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. Byrne of the Southern District of Florida remarked that fraudsters targeting the nation’s most at-risk individuals will be relentlessly pursued. Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth emphasized the Justice Department’s continued commitment to prosecuting international criminals.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the Justice Department’s Civil Division handling the prosecution. Support also came from the U.S. Office of International Affairs and Europol.
Authorities encourage older Americans who believe they may have been victims of financial fraud to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) for assistance.
