A 49-year-old Nigerian man, Joseph James Nantomah, has been sentenced to 48 months in federal prison in the United States for an investment fraud scheme that caused losses of more than $2.7 million to at least 39 victims….
A 49-year-old Nigerian man, Joseph James Nantomah, has been sentenced to 48 months in federal prison in the United States for an investment fraud scheme that caused losses of more than $2.7 million to at least 39 victims.
Nantomah, also known as “The Black Mentor,” was sentenced on September 18, 2026, after pleading guilty to the scheme, according to the US Department of Justice.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Nantomah entered the US from Nigeria in 2016 on a visitor’s visa and later built an online persona portraying himself as a successful real estate investor.
Between May 2020 and December 2024, prosecutors said he used conferences, classes and his online presence to persuade victims to invest in his purported real estate business, promising significant returns.
However, investigators found that Nantomah did not operate the legitimate real estate business he claimed to have built.
According to court records, he collected $2,762,798.37 from at least 39 victims, most of whom were Nigerian immigrants and members of his church.
The US Department of Justice said Nantomah used the victims’ money to finance a lavish lifestyle, including private jets, luxury cars, expensive jewellery and a yacht.
He also allegedly spent money maintaining his public image, including paying celebrities to attend his conferences and purchasing honorary doctorate degrees for himself and his wife.
FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr said Nantomah presented himself as a real estate investor and promised profits from buying, renovating and selling properties.
“Instead of purchasing real estate with investor money, he utilized more than $2 million for his personal use,” Karr said.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Wisconsin Department of Financial Investigations also involved.
Nantomah’s sentencing was announced by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on September 21, 2026.
