Nigerian jailed in US over $6m inheritance fraud

A United States court has sentenced Nigerian national, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, to more than eight years in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance scam that defrauded hundreds of elderly victims of over $6 million.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced that Akhimie, 41, was sentenced on September 11 to 97 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges. According to prosecutors, Akhimie and his accomplices mailed personalised letters to victims across the U.S., posing as Spanish bank officials and claiming the recipients were heirs to multimillion-dollar estates.

The victims were told they had to pay various fees, including taxes and delivery charges, to access the supposed inheritances. Instead, their money was funnelled through a network of intermediaries—many of them former fraud victims—before being pocketed by the syndicate. Prosecutors confirmed that no victim ever received any inheritance.

U.S. Attorney Jason Quiñones condemned the crime, saying the scheme robbed seniors not just of money but of dignity. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate stressed the importance of international cooperation in dismantling cross-border scams, thanking law enforcement partners in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Europol for their role in the investigation.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, which led the probe, also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting vulnerable populations from fraud. Officials described the targeting of the elderly as a betrayal of trust and humanity.

Akhimie is the eighth defendant sentenced in the case. Earlier in April, another Nigerian, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, received the same 97-month sentence. Other members of the syndicate have also been jailed in related proceedings.

The Justice Department said the case underscores the global nature of financial crimes and the need for sustained collaboration to hold perpetrators accountable. It also highlights the recurring involvement of Nigerians in cross-border fraud, following several high-profile prosecutions in recent years.