A 42-year-old Nigerian big boy, Bernard Okorhi, has been sentenced to 75 months in federal prison in the U.S, for his role in an $8million international fraud.
It was gathered that Okorhi, his brother Victor Okorhi, and others used compromised email accounts to steal from businesses and romance scams on internet dating sites to trick individuals into wiring money overseas.
The scheme is estimated to have cost residents of the U.S. approximately eight million dollars. The whole scheme is estimated to have netted over $10 million worldwide during the criminal enterprise’s five-year lifespan.
Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. announced the sentence on Wednesday, June 16, stating that, “Evidence presented in court revealed that Okorhi and others, some U.S. citizens, some residents of Ghana and Nigeria — created fake profiles on online dating services to entice people looking for companionship into fraudulent relationships.
“Once the victim was fully involved, the scammers would develop elaborate storylines that always required the victim to send financial assistance to his or her beloved. The group also compromised the email networks of many businesses, redirecting wires intended to pay for services or goods to bank accounts under the control of the scammers. The money was subsequently moved through several bank accounts before ultimately being sent to Africa.
“Okorhi, Maxwell Peter, and Babatunde Martins were arrested overseas and extradited to the United States for prosecution. Several of their alleged co-conspirators remain at large, including Dennis Miah, Sumaila Hardi Wumpini and Okorhi’s brother, Victor Okorhi. Ayodeji Ojo has been arrested in Nigeria and is awaiting extradition,” the sentence reads.
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