US Court Sentences Nigerian National to Eight Years in Prison for $6 Million Fraud Scheme

A U.S. court in New Haven, Connecticut, has sentenced Okechukwu Valentine Osuji, a 39-year-old Nigerian national, to eight years in prison for his involvement in a sophisticated $6 million business email compromise (BEC) scheme. Osuji was convicted of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Operating across multiple countries, including the United States, Osuji and his co-conspirators orchestrated a fraud operation that targeted businesses and individuals by impersonating trusted entities in electronic communications. The scheme affected various sectors, including finance, non-profit organizations, and food services, tricking victims into transferring funds to accounts controlled by the group.

The perpetrators relied on “money mules” to receive and launder stolen funds. Among their victims was an elderly woman who lost her life savings and home through a romance scam. Her personal bank account was also exploited to facilitate fraud against another targeted business.

Osuji was arrested in Malaysia in 2022 and extradited to the United States. Following a trial, he was found guilty on May 1, 2024. Alongside his prison sentence, the court ordered Osuji to pay restitution to the victims, with total losses and intended losses exceeding $6 million, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The investigation revealed additional co-conspirators, including Nigerian national Tolulope Bodunde, who was sentenced to two years in prison in October, and John Wamuigah, currently detained in Malaysia awaiting extradition. The case involved collaboration between the FBI New Haven Field Office, Stamford Police Department, and international authorities, including the Royal Malaysia Police.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri and U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery highlighted the commitment of law enforcement agencies to tackling cybercrime and transnational fraud.