US Court Sentences Nigerian Couple To 30 Years For $3.5 Million Romance Scam

US Court Sentences Nigerian Couple To 30 Years For $3.5 Million Romance ScamTwo Nigerian nationals, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced by a US federal jury to a combined 30 years in prison for defrauding American citizens out of $3.5 million.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The sentencing was confirmed in a press release from the US Department of Justice. According to the statement, Ibekie and Aniukwu employed various scams to deceive their victims, including posing as heirs to large inheritances and convincing people to send money in exchange for a promise of reimbursement once the inheritances were claimed.

The duo also ran a romance scam, building trust with victims through online relationships before requesting funds. They targeted individuals on social media and dating websites, cultivating fake romantic bonds and encouraging their victims to send money to a designated recipient.

The release detailed the results of a covert law enforcement investigation that led to their conviction. Under the aliases Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, the two communicated with victims across the US, claiming they needed money to unlock large inheritances, and carried out additional fraudulent schemes such as business email compromise.

The scams caused losses totaling at least $3.5 million. The pair faced 14 counts, including wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and passport fraud. Ibekie, 59, from Oswego, Illinois, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to all charges. Aniukwu, 50, from Romeoville, Illinois, was sentenced to 10 years after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges.

Jennifer Gosha, an accomplice of Ibekie and Aniukwu, who is a US citizen, also pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. She is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2024.

The statement concluded by noting that the two Nigerian defendants’ fraudulent activities, spanning inheritance and romance scams, had serious financial impacts on victims, with the law enforcement investigation uncovering the full scope of their deception.

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