A United States federal court in Florida has brought charges against 36-year-old Nigerian citizen Okezie Ogbata, accusing him of masterminding an elaborate transnational inheritance scam. This scheme defrauded more than 400 unsuspecting victims—primarily elderly and vulnerable individuals—of a staggering $6 million.
The Southern District of Florida delivered the guilty verdict last Wednesday, exposing the intricate web of deceit orchestrated by Ogbata and his accomplices.
According to revelations from the U.S. Department of Justice, Ogbata, in collusion with co-conspirators, preyed on victims by fabricating elaborate falsehoods. They lured victims into believing they were heirs to multimillion-dollar inheritances. The fraudulent correspondence often impersonated representatives of foreign banking institutions, notably one based in Spain.
These letters deceitfully asserted that the recipients were beneficiaries of substantial estates left by deceased overseas relatives. To bolster the scam’s credibility, Ogbata and his network insisted on payments for purported “delivery fees,” “taxes,” and other fabricated charges, all under the guise of avoiding government scrutiny.
In his guilty plea, Ogbata conceded to defrauding over $6 million from the targeted individuals. The majority of his victims were elderly or otherwise susceptible to exploitation, underscoring the calculated ruthlessness of the operation.
General Brian Boynton, Head of the Civil Division at the Department of Justice, emphasized the critical importance of cross-border collaboration in combatting transnational criminal activities. Reflecting on the case, Boynton described it as a “landmark testament to the value of international partnerships in dismantling global fraud networks.”
Ogbata is slated to face sentencing on April 14, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Roy Altman. He stands the risk of receiving a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat posed by international fraud syndicates and the unrelenting resolve of law enforcement agencies to hold perpetrators accountable.
AFP
