US Secures Convictions in $215m Email Scam; Nigerians Linked to Global Fraud Network

A sweeping international email fraud operation that siphoned about $215 million from more than 1,000 victims across 19 countries has been dismantled by US authorities, with several Nigerians among those convicted.

According to a statement issued Thursday by the United States Attorney’s Office, 25 individuals were found guilty on April 24 for their roles in the scheme, described as a “business email compromise” operation involving coordinated fraud and money laundering.

Four Nigerian nationals—Emmanuel Okereke, also known as Omo Igbo, 42; Olalekan Bashiru, aka Ola Bash, 36; Jeremiah Agina, 29; and Ademola Balogun, 43—were listed among those convicted.

Also named were five naturalised US citizens of Nigerian descent: Ayobami Osas Christopher, aka Lovely Man, 30; Ayorinde Emmanuel Adebayo, 35; Olabode Bankole, 37; Chukwuemeka Evulukwu, 35; and Kingsley Owusu, 37.

Oluwafemi Michael Awoyemi, 40, appeared as a defendant in a related trial tied to the same scheme, though his nationality was not disclosed.

Evidence presented in court showed that members of the network infiltrated personal and corporate email accounts, allowing co-conspirators to monitor communications and gather intelligence. Using this information, they sent deceptive emails to victims or their business contacts, requesting payments disguised as legitimate transactions.

Because the messages mirrored ongoing business dealings, many recipients were convinced to authorise transfers. The proceeds were then funnelled through a complex system of fraudulent bank accounts and cash transfer mechanisms to conceal their origins and distribute the funds.

Investigators revealed that about $50 million of the stolen money was converted into cashier’s cheques and processed through the New Dolton Currency Exchange in the Chicago area, operated by co-defendant Lon Goodman. He allegedly accepted cheques from individuals using false identification, ignored warnings from financial institutions, and continued facilitating transactions flagged as suspicious.

When direct payments became risky, authorities said Goodman accepted cheques made out to shell companies controlled by members of the network.

Victims were spread across several countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Panama, Bermuda, and Romania, among others.

The amounts transferred ranged widely, from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. In one instance, a victim business wired $2.7 million to a shell account linked to the conspiracy.

Authorities said assets seized or marked for forfeiture include nearly $1.2 million in cashier’s cheques, cryptocurrency, and cash, alongside luxury items such as a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch valued at $45,000, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak worth $30,000, and a Richard Mille Felipe Massa watch valued at $140,000. A 4,423-square-foot home in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was also tied to the case.

The Attorney’s Office noted that sentencing will be determined by the court, taking into account factors such as each defendant’s role, prior criminal history, and the nature of the offences.

The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the US Postal Inspection Service, and the US Border Patrol Sandusky Bay Intelligence Unit.

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