US jails two Nigerians for $6m fraud scheme

A United States court has sentenced Okechukwu Osuji, a 39-year-old Nigerian, to eight years in prison for his role in a $6 million business email compromise scam that targeted organizations and individuals. The sentencing took place in New Haven, Connecticut, on Wednesday.

Osuji, who operated the fraud scheme from multiple countries including the US, was apprehended in Malaysia and extradited to the United States in 2022. His co-conspirator, Tolulope Bodunde, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison on October 16, 2024.

According to the US Department of Justice, Osuji and his accomplices deceived businesses and individuals by impersonating trusted organizations through electronic communications. They tricked victims into transferring funds to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators, which were later used for money laundering or converted to cash.

Victims of the scheme included a financial company in Connecticut, a lending firm in Colorado, a nonprofit performing arts organization in Alaska, and a food and beverage company in New York. Osuji also exploited elderly individuals through romance scams, using them as unwitting participants to move stolen funds.

In May 2024, a jury found Osuji guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The court ordered him to pay restitution to his victims.

Meanwhile, another co-conspirator, John Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia and is undergoing extradition proceedings.