Sick and tired of Scams Targeting our Elderly Population? My mom is 81 years old and she gets daily calls from scammers, and it infuriates me that this continues without consequences. That's why we share the following news.
Two Nigerian nationals who were extradited to the United States from Spain have been sentenced for their involvement in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. The sentencing marks the conclusion of legal proceedings against five individuals who were extradited from the United Kingdom and Spain in connection with the elaborate scam that targeted elderly victims in the United States.
Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, was identified as the ringleader of the group of fraudsters responsible for this scheme. He received a 128-month prison sentence for his role in the operation. The fraudsters would send personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming to represent a Spanish bank. These letters would inform the recipients that they were entitled to a multimillion-dollar inheritance from a deceased family member in Portugal. However, victims were told that they needed to send money for various fees and taxes before they could receive their inheritance. They were also instructed to make additional payments. To facilitate this fraud, victims sent money to the defendants through a convoluted network of former victims in the United States. The fraudsters even convinced some of these former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the proceeds to others involved in the scam.
In a separate sentencing, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, another defendant who was extradited from Spain, received an 87-month prison term for his involvement in the scheme. Additionally, three co-defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom received prison sentences in the following order: Emmanuel Samuel was sentenced to 82 months in prison on June 21, Jerry Chucks Ozor was sentenced to 87 months in prison on July 25, and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham was sentenced to 90 months in prison on August 29 for their roles in the fraudulent operation.
The successful prosecution of these individuals was made possible through the collaboration of various law enforcement agencies, including the Spanish National Police and the Ministry of Justice. The U.S. Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Branch expressed its commitment to pursuing and prosecuting transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) also played a crucial role in protecting American citizens from such schemes. The USPIS worked closely with the Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other agencies to bring those responsible for the scam to justice. The sentences handed down in this case send a clear message to those attempting to exploit vulnerable individuals, especially the elderly. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) affirmed its dedication to holding such criminals accountable and bringing justice to their victims.
