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Sixth Nigerian Sentenced in Scheme Defrauding Elderly US Victims

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On Monday, Nigerian national Amos Prince Okey Ezemma, 50, was sentenced to 85 months in prison for his involvement in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

This sentencing marks the conclusion for all six defendants connected with the case.

Court documents reveal that Ezemma was part of a fraudulent group that targeted elderly victims in the U.S. The scheme involved sending personalized letters claiming the recipients were entitled to a multimillion-dollar inheritance from a deceased family member in Portugal.

Victims were falsely informed they needed to pay fees and taxes to receive their supposed inheritance.

The defendants orchestrated a complex network where former victims were manipulated into receiving and forwarding funds from new victims.

“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton.

Boynton highlighted the importance of international collaboration, thanking the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Spanish National Police, the National Crime Agency, and the Portuguese Judicial Police.

“This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime,” he added.

Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the USPIS Miami Division remarked, “This investigation is a great example of the results the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Justice Department, and our law enforcement partners strive to achieve.”

Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona condemned the exploitation of the elderly, stating, “Targeting the elderly for pure financial gain is beyond shameful, it’s morally reprehensible.”

Each of Ezemma’s co-defendants has also been sentenced.

Emmanuel Samuel received 82 months on June 21, 2023; Jerry Chucks Ozor was sentenced to 87 months on July 25, 2023; Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham got 90 months on August 29, 2023; Kennedy Ikponmwosa was sentenced to 87 months on October 20, 2023; and Peter Ezennia Neboh received 128 months on November 2, 2023.

All six defendants were ordered to pay over $6 million in restitution to their more than 400 victims.

The case was investigated by the Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and HSI, with critical assistance from the Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and Europol.

Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian, and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, are prosecuting the case.

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Crime & Court

Navy Officer Arrested for Killing Ex-Naval Chief’s Son in Abuja

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The Abuja Police Command has arrested a Nigerian Navy officer, Abdul Rasheed Muhammad, in connection with the murder of Aminu Ibrahim, the son of former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral I. I. Ibrahim (retd). The arrest was announced by the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, during a press briefing on Wednesday.

According to Commissioner Igweh, Muhammad confessed to the crime, which occurred two weeks ago in the Maitama area of Abuja.

He revealed that Aminu Ibrahim was robbed and killed, and his Prado Jeep was stolen. However, the vehicle has since been recovered by the police.

“About two weeks ago, Aminu Ibrahim, the son of Vice Admiral I. I. Ibrahim (retd), a former Chief of Naval Staff, was robbed and killed in the Maitama area of Abuja, and his Prado SUV was taken. I want to inform you that Abdul Rasheed Muhammad, a serving Nigerian Navy personnel, committed the murder. He has confessed to the crime, and we have recovered the Prado Jeep,” Igweh stated.

Speaking to journalists, Muhammad, a seaman in the Nigerian Navy, disclosed that he was deployed as a security officer to the residence of the former Chief of Naval Staff. He recounted the events leading to the crime, stating that on the night of the incident, Aminu requested his security escort as he went out around 11:30 PM.

“I work at the house. He wanted to go out at night, around 11:30. He said he needed security. So, I followed him with my gun. Along the way, he stopped to check his ATM, as if he was going to buy something. I thought maybe I was going to escort him to a market or somewhere. Then, when I came out through the other door, I shot him, took the car, and left. I’m a guard and a seaman in the Navy. He did not do anything to me; I killed him to steal his car,” Muhammad confessed.

In a related development, the Abuja Police Command also paraded 94 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), who were arrested following the death of two police officers on Sunday. The details of their arrest were not immediately disclosed.

The police have reiterated their commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and maintaining peace and security in the Federal Capital Territory.

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Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery: Lagos Nurse Arrested Over Death of 36-Year-Old Woman

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Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a nurse in the Lekki area following the tragic death of a 36-year-old woman identified only as Abiola. The incident occurred after Abiola underwent a cosmetic procedure at a clinic in Lekki Phase 1.

The police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated on Wednesday that the incident was reported by the deceased’s driver at the Maroko Police Division.

According to the driver, Abiola, a resident of Diamond Estate in Sangotedo-Lekki, had visited the clinic for a Brazilian Butt Lift surgery aimed at enhancing her figure.

Hundeyin explained, “Upon our arrival, the clinic owner directed a nurse to administer the injection on Abiola. Moments later, chaos ensued as the woman lost consciousness and started gasping for breath.”

In a desperate bid to save her life, the driver rushed Abiola to another hospital in Lekki Phase 1, but upon arrival, she was pronounced dead by the medical staff on duty.

Police detectives have since visited the scene to gather evidence, meticulously inspecting and photographing Abiola’s remains before transporting her body to a public morgue for autopsy.

The nurse involved in the procedure has been taken into custody, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, has ordered a thorough investigation into the harrowing incident to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Abiola’s death.

 

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Four Nigerians Sentenced for Forging Over 2,000 Marriage Certificates in UK

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A Nigerian gang member has been sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison for his involvement in forging more than 2,000 marriage certificates that allowed people to live illegally in the UK.

According to reports from the UK-based Evening Standard, four individuals, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, were involved in the crime.

They made fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals between March 2019 and May last year, according to the Home Office.

The organized crime group was found to have provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates along with other fraudulent documentation to support these applications, assisting Nigerian nationals in remaining in the UK unlawfully.

A Home Office investigation, which included both domestic efforts and operations based in Lagos, Nigeria, uncovered the massive scale of the operation, with over 2,000 false marriage documents identified.

Following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Onifade and Shodipo were found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud.

Gbadamosi was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, while Kabir was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception.

Onifade, from Gravesend, was sentenced to six years imprisonment, and Shodipo, from Manchester, received a five-year sentence. Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was sentenced to 18 months, while Kabir, from London, was jailed for nine months.

Paul Moran, Home Office Chief Immigration Officer, stated, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice. As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK. We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.”

 

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