U.S Govt sentences Nigerian man to prison for massive senior scam

A Nigerian man, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison by a United States Federal Court.

The U.S Department of Justice announced the sentencing in a statement released by its Public Affairs Office on Monday, April 28, 2025.

Ogbata, 36, was convicted for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that targeted hundreds of elderly Americans.

According to court documents, Ogbata and his co-conspirators mailed fraudulent letters to elderly individuals across the states.

The letters falsely claimed the recipients had inherited large sums of money from long-lost relatives.

Victims were instructed to send payments for taxes and fees before receiving their supposed inheritance.

Ogbata and his group collected these payments and disappeared without delivering any funds.

The victims, many elderly and vulnerable, never received the promised inheritance.

In his guilty plea, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims.

Investigators revealed that the fraudulent operation spanned several years and crossed international borders.

The Justice Department said the scam exploited trust and targeted Americans based on age and vulnerability.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite said justice had been served with Ogbata’s conviction and sentencing.

He noted that the government remains committed to protecting seniors from international fraud networks.

Ogbata was arrested and extradited to the United States after a multi-agency investigation.

Officials confirmed that several other suspects remain under investigation in connection with the scheme.

The judge also ordered Ogbata to pay restitution to the victims of the fraud.

Authorities said he will be deported after completing his prison sentence.

Ogbata’s sentencing comes just days after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), arrested 22 Nigerians over separate sextortion fraud cases.

The FBI described the latest sextortion crimes as part of an expanding wave of cyber-enabled scams.

The U.S government has expressed concern over the increasing number of fraud schemes targeting its citizens.

Federal agencies warned that foreign-led scams will continue to face aggressive prosecution.

The Justice Department urged Americans to report suspicious communications involving inheritance or prize money.

Officials also advised citizens to avoid sending money to unknown sources promising financial returns.

This case highlights ongoing efforts to dismantle fraud networks operating from outside the States.

Ogbata will serve over eight years behind bars for orchestrating the inheritance scam.

U.S authorities say the sentencing sends a strong message to international fraudsters targeting Americans elderly people.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook