Anastasia Okechukwu ReportingÂ
Three Nigerians have been extradited to the southern district of Florida to face Federal charges for allegedly running an international inheritance fraud scheme targeted at elderly Americans.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Us department of Justice said six Nigerians have been indicted over the alleged inheritance fraud scheme.
The suspects are Kennedy Ikponmwosa,51; Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, 44 and Jerry Chucks Ozor, 43.
Others alleged to have helped run the scheme are Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, and Prince Amos Okey Ezemma, 49, of Madrid, Spain; and Emmanuel Samuel, 39, of London.
Kennedy Ikponmwosa, was extradited from Spain and he made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres on April 18, while Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham and Jerry Chucks Ozor were extradited on Friday from Britain and will have initial U.S. court appearances May 1 in Miami, Florida.
According to the US Justice Department, The suspects allegedly sent personalized letters to elderly citizens in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who purportedly had died years before in Spain.
“The victims were told that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Victims will then sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to serve as money mules.
According to the inducement, victims who sent money never received their purported inheritance funds.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who defraud U.S. citizens, wherever they are located.
“The defendants are all charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as mail fraud and wire fraud. Neboh and Samuel were both extradited earlier this year. If convicted, Ikponmwosa, Abraham, and Ozor each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count.
“A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.