US Court Charges Three Nigerians Over Alleged Online Fraud Scheme

Three Nigerian nationals—William Elvis, Moses Hezekiah, and Destiny Oghentega—have been charged in a United States federal court in Rhode Island over their alleged roles in a romance and wire fraud operation.

According to a statement published by the United States Department of Justice, the defendants each face one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors allege the scheme began around early 2021 and involved coordinated efforts to deceive victims through online impersonation.

Court documents indicate that the suspects, alongside other collaborators, posed as professionals working abroad and built relationships with targets over time. Victims were later persuaded to send money under false claims, including financial distress, legal complications, and medical emergencies.

Investigators said payments were made through various channels, including gift cards, Bitcoin transactions, and transfers to accounts linked to individuals involved in the scheme.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that the identities used in the fraud were stolen and used without the consent of the real individuals. Authorities also traced communications and financial transactions tied to the operation back to the defendants in Nigeria.

Prosecutors noted that victims, including at least one elderly resident of Rhode Island, lost significant sums over the course of the alleged scheme.

The Justice Department emphasized that the charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

In a related development, a US-based Nigerian, Ifeanyi Ugwu, recently pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business involving more than $5 million in illicit funds, according to federal prosecutors.