Ten Nigerians have been convicted in the United States for their roles in a sprawling $215 million international fraud and email hacking scheme that targeted more than 1,000 victims across multiple countries.
The convictions, secured last Friday in a federal court in Ohio, followed guilty pleas to charges bordering on wire fraud, money laundering and business email compromise. The trial was presided over by District Judge James Knepp II.
The Nigerians were convicted alongside 15 American nationals, including Aruan Drake and Peter Reed, as part of a transnational criminal network described by prosecutors as “Nigeria-linked” scam rings operating across 47 U.S. states and 19 countries.
Among the convicted Nigerians are five naturalised U.S. citizens. They are Ayobami Osas Christopher, Ayorinde Emmanuel Adebayo, Olabode Bankole, Chukwuemeka Evulukwu and Kingsley Owusu.
Others include Nigerian nationals residing in the U.S.: Emmanuel Okereke, Olalekan Bashiru, Jeremiah Agina and Ademola Balogun.
Another Nigerian, Michael Awoyemi, was convicted by a jury, while a Ghanaian national, Emmanuel Essilfie, was also identified as part of the fraud network.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a total of 25 defendants have now been convicted in connection with the scheme, widely known as business email compromise (BEC).
Investigators said the syndicate specialised in hacking into email accounts of individuals, companies and organisations, then closely monitored communications to understand business transactions and relationships. Armed with insider knowledge, the fraudsters sent convincingly crafted emails requesting payments for what appeared to be legitimate deals.
Victims, unaware of the deception, transferred funds ranging from tens of thousands to millions of dollars into accounts controlled by the syndicate. In one instance, a business reportedly wired $2.7 million to a shell company operated by members of the group.
The illicit proceeds were subsequently laundered through a complex network of bank accounts and cash transfer systems. Authorities said some funds were converted into cashier’s cheques and processed through the New Dolton Currency Exchange in the Chicago area, allegedly operated by Lon Goodman, who is currently standing trial for his role in the scheme.
Prosecutors revealed that Goodman allegedly continued to process suspicious transactions even after the risks became evident.
The fraud had a global footprint, with victims identified in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Panama, Bermuda and Romania, among others.
Law enforcement agencies have since seized assets linked to the syndicate, including about $1.2 million in cash, cryptocurrency and cashier’s cheques.
Also confiscated were luxury items such as a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch valued at $45,000, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak worth $30,000, a Richard Mille Felipe Massa watch valued at $140,000, and a 4,423-square-foot residence in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Sentencing dates for the convicted individuals have not yet been announced, with U.S. authorities indicating that penalties will be determined after a review of factors specific to each defendant.
