Nigerian Man Sentenced to Six Years in U.S. Prison for Florida Real Estate Fraud

A U.S. federal court has sentenced Nigerian national Uwa Nosakhare to six years in prison for his role in a fraudulent real estate scheme that targeted properties in Palm Beach County, Florida. The 26-year-old was convicted after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft and mail fraud in January 2025.

Nosakhare and his co-conspirators ran the scheme between April 2022 and April 2023, stealing personal information from unsuspecting property owners. Using the stolen data, the group created fake driver’s licences, notary documents, and bank statements to impersonate owners and sell properties without their knowledge. They defrauded buyers of over $143,000 by directing payments to accounts they controlled.

The investigation began when the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office identified Nosakhare on surveillance footage at FedEx locations, where he was seen sending forged documents. The case was quickly handed over to the FBI, leading to a grand jury indictment in July 2024.

Nosakhare was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations in November 2024 after attempting to flee to Canada. He later accepted a plea deal, which allowed him to avoid trial and receive a reduced sentence.

Judge Donald Middlebrooks of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida handed down the sentence, which includes six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and an order to pay restitution. The court also ordered that Nosakhare be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.