A United States-based Nigerian citizen, Okechukwu Valentine Osuji, has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a US court in New Haven, Connecticut, for his role in a $6 million business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
The 39-year-old Nigerian citizen 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 targeted businesses and individuals by impersonating trusted entities in electronic communications.
Their scheme spanned various sectors, including finance, non-profit organizations, and food services, deceiving victims into transferring funds to accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
The perpetrators used “money mules” — both witting and unwitting — to receive and launder stolen funds. Among the victims was an elderly woman who lost her life savings and home after being manipulated through a romance scam.
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Her personal bank account was also used to facilitate fraud against a business targeted by the group.
Osuji was arrested in Malaysia in 2022 and extradited to the United States for trial. On May 1, 2024, he was found guilty.
At his sentencing, the court ordered him to pay restitution to the victims.
The scheme caused significant financial harm, with losses and intended losses totalling over $6 million, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Co-conspirators include Nigerian national Tolulope Bodunde, who was sentenced to two years in prison in October, and John Wamuigah, who remains in Malaysia awaiting extradition proceedings.
The case was investigated by the FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department, with assistance from international authorities, including the Royal Malaysia Police.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut announced the sentence, stating their commitment to combating cybercrime and transnational fraud.
