Five Nigerians have been sentenced for their involvement in a transnational fraud scheme that swindled approximately $17 million from victims worldwide, including vulnerable elderly individuals.
A report by Fox News indicates that U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III handed down the sentences on June 16, 2025.
The scheme, according to reports, began in January 2017 and involved online romance scams, business email compromises, investor fraud, and unemployment insurance fraud.
Providing the details of the cases in court, the prosecutor explained that the defendants coordinated to extract money from 100 victims, companies and government entities.
The fraudsters were said to have laundered or disbursed the monies made to a network of Bank accounts of co-conspirators, businesses in Africa and Asia.
The scheme specifically targeted elderly individuals, often luring them through online dating sites.
Damilola Kumapayi, aka “Luke Morris,” 39, of Plano, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 109 months in federal prison.
Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, aka “General,” 50, of Plano, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering. She received a sentence of 365 months.
Edgal Iribhogbe, aka “Oseme,” 51, of Allen, was found guilty at trial of conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 480 months.
Chidindu Okeke, aka “Steve,” 32, of Houston, and Chiagoziem Okeke, 32, of Houston, were both found guilty at trial of conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering. Each received a sentence of 480 months.
Source: Files from Fox News
