Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been handed a combined 30-year prison sentence by a U.S. federal court for orchestrating online scams that defrauded victims of $3.5 million.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, the duo engaged in elaborate schemes, including inheritance fraud and romance scams, to exploit their victims. They falsely claimed that substantial inheritances required upfront payments to be accessed, and also manipulated victims through online relationships to extract money.
Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Illinois, was sentenced to 20 years after being convicted on 14 counts, including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Illinois, received a 10-year sentence following his guilty plea last year.
A third accomplice, Jennifer Gosha, a U.S. citizen, has pleaded guilty to similar charges and is scheduled for sentencing in December.
The scams, uncovered during an undercover operation, also included business email compromises targeting corporate accounts.
The judge emphasized the significant harm inflicted on victims and the importance of deterring such crimes during sentencing.