Two Nigerians, Mr Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu have been jailed for 30 years by a United States court for defrauding some US citizens of $3,500,000.
This development was announced on the US Department of Justice website on Monday.
The statement said the duo of Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived their victims by telling them that they had received substantial inheritances that required some money to claim.
The two con men first started romantic relationships with the victims.
As soon as they gained their trust, they began to introduce the schemes to them and requesting them to send some amounts of money with a promise to refund them once the inheritances were claimed.
The statement reads, “An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes.
“Using aliases, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu communicated with victims throughout the United States, convincing them they had received substantial inheritances and needed to send money to individuals associated with the defendants in order to claim it.
“In addition to the inheritance scam, the pair carried out an online romance scam that involved communicating with victims via social media and dating websites, building trust with the victims through a purported online romance, and convincing them to send money to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie also orchestrated a ‘business email compromise’ scam that targeted corporate email accounts.
“The fraud schemes were uncovered by a covert law enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of at least $3.5 million.”
The statement further noted that following their arraignment on no fewer than 14 counts, the duo pleaded guilty to their various changes.
However, upon their guilty plea, Ibekie was sentenced to 20 years jail term on Thursday while Aniukwu was sentenced on November 8 to 10 years jail term.
The statement added, “A federal jury earlier this year convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Ill., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank, and passport fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to 20 years in federal prison.
“Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Judge Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to 10 years in prison.”
Moreover, an accomplice of Ibekie and Aniukwu, who is a US citizen, Jennifer Gosha, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18 following her guilty plea.
“A third defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the statement conclude.
