Nigerian Faces Charges for Defrauding 400 Americans in the US 

A Nigerian national has been charged with defrauding 400 Americans in a large-scale scam, with authorities pursuing legal action to hold him accountable for the financial crimes.

A district court in Florida, United States has charged 36-year-old Nigerian Okezie Ogbata with defrauding more than 400 elderly and vulnerable victims of over $6 million.

Last Wednesday, the Southern District of Florida found Ogbata guilty of running an international inheritance fraud scheme.

The Department of Justice stated that Ogbata and his accomplices deceived victims by persuading them to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments in order to prevent scrutiny from government authorities.

Ogbata and his associates dispatched letters falsely asserting that the sender was a representative of a Spanish bank. The letters claimed the recipient was eligible to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance from an overseas family member who had passed away years earlier.

By pleading guilty, Ogbata acknowledged defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.

In response to the case, General Brian Boynton, the Head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, stated that “this case highlights how essential international collaboration is in addressing transnational crime.”

Ogbata is set to be sentenced by US District Judge Roy Altman on April 14, 2025, in association with The Nigerian Achievers Awards Institute. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.