A Nigerian national was sentenced today to 85 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With today’s (Monday) sentencing, each of the six defendants connected with this matter has been sentenced.
According to court documents, Amos Prince Okey Ezemma, 50, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims 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 had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendant and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the fraud proceeds to others.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Spanish National Police, National Crime Agency and Portuguese Judicial Police for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“This investigation is a great example of the results the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners strive to achieve,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the USPIS Miami Division. “We will continue to identify and dismantle transnational groups targeting American citizens and using the mail to further their schemes to defraud. Justice has no borders.”
“Targeting the elderly for pure financial gain is beyond shameful, it’s morally reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Protecting such a vulnerable population is not just the responsibility of family members but also law enforcement agencies like HSI and our partners. Together, we are a force multiplier committed to apprehending those who scam our seniors. Let these lengthy sentences serve as reminders that HSI will not tolerate criminals who are motivated by greed.”
Each of Ezemma’s five co-defendants has been sentenced to prison for their roles in the scheme. On June 21, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel to 82 months in prison. On July 25, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Jerry Chucks Ozor to 87 months in prison. On Aug. 29, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to 90 months in prison. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Kennedy Ikponmwosa to 87 months in prison. And on Nov. 2, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced Peter Ezennia Neboh to 128 months in prison. Judge Williams also ordered Ezemma and his co-defendants to pay more than $6 million in restitution to their over 400 victims.
The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS and HSI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator 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, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and Europol all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
