A Nigerian national has pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 400 elderly and vulnerable individuals across the U.S., stealing over $6 million. Â
Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata entered his plea in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, admitting his role in the scheme, according to court documents.
The fraud involved sending personalized letters to elderly victims, falsely claiming to be from a representative of a Spanish bank. The letters informed recipients they were entitled to a multimillion-dollar inheritance from a deceased overseas relative, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday in a statement. Â
To access the fake inheritance, victims were told they needed to pay fees for delivery, taxes, and other charges. Ogbata and his co-conspirators used former victims in the U.S. to collect and forward payments, but those who complied never received the promised funds.
Ogbata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and is scheduled for sentencing on April 14. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
“Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” said Francisco B. Burrola, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Arizona.
This case marks the second indictment tied to the international fraud scheme. In 2023, six co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Nigeria were convicted and sentenced.
