400 Victims, $6M Stolen: Nigerian Man Found Guilty in U.S. Fraud Case

 

A District Court in Florida, United States, has charged a 36-year-old Nigerian man, Okezie Ogbata, for orchestrating a transnational fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable victims of more than $6 million.

Ogbata was found guilty of the crime last Wednesday by the Southern District of Florida. He pleaded guilty to running an inheritance scam that involved deceiving victims into believing they were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances.

According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Ogbata and his co-conspirators exploited their victims by sending fraudulent letters. These letters claimed to be from a representative of a Spanish bank and stated that the recipients had inherited large sums of money from deceased relatives overseas. Victims were then pressured to send payments for “delivery fees,” “taxes,” and other fabricated charges, which were falsely presented as necessary steps to access the inheritance.

In his guilty plea, Ogbata admitted to defrauding more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, by employing lies to extract payments over a prolonged period.

Reacting to the case, the Head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, General Brian Boynton, emphasized the importance of global cooperation in addressing transnational crimes. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime,” Boynton stated.

Ogbata is set to be sentenced on April 14, 2025, by US District Judge Roy Altman. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The Nigerian Achievers Awards Institute has also condemned Ogbata’s actions, stating that such fraudulent schemes tarnish the reputation of Nigeria on the global stage.

Authorities urge individuals to remain vigilant and report suspicious communications, particularly those involving promises of sudden wealth or inheritance.