FLORIDA, USA – Three Nigerian nationals, alleged masterminds of an international inheritance fraud scheme, were extradited to the Southern District of Florida earlier this week to face federal charges.
Their extradition marks a significant milestone in the joint effort of U.S., Spanish, and British law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to a release by the United States Department of Justice, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, 51, was extradited from Spain on April 18. Co-defendants Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, 44, and Jerry Chucks Ozor, 43, arrived from the United Kingdom on Friday, April 28, 2023.
All three will face federal charges in Miami, Florida.
The trio and their accomplices Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, Prince Amos Okey Ezemma, 49, and Emmanuel Samuel, 39, were initially arrested in Madrid and London in April 2022. Samuel pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud on March 27.
The defendants are accused of operating an elaborate inheritance fraud scheme targeting elderly consumers in the United States.
They allegedly sent personalised letters over five years, falsely claiming the recipient was the sole beneficiary of a multi-million-dollar inheritance from a deceased family member in Spain.
The victims were manipulated into paying supposed delivery fees, taxes, and other charges to claim their non-existent inheritance.
Funds were sent through U.S.-based victims who had been coerced into serving as “money mules”. Victims who sent money never received any inheritance funds.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who defraud U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Expressing gratitude to Spain and the UK, Boynton added that the Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work with global partners to bring criminals who defraud U.S. victims to justice.
Juan A. Vargas, the Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division, emphasized their continuous efforts to protect communities from predatory criminals.
Scott Brown, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), underscored the importance of collaborative law enforcement initiatives to protect vulnerable seniors from fraud.
The defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as mail fraud and wire fraud. If convicted, Ikponmwosa, Abraham, and Ozor each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count.
Their co-conspirators, Neboh and Samuel, were extradited earlier this year.
