By Abimbola Ogunnaike
A 42-year-old Nigerian man, Isiah Okere, has pleaded guilty to charges of internet fraud, defrauding over 15 Americans and organizations of more than $1 million. Okere appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman in New York on September 24, 2024, admitting his involvement in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, revealed that Okere worked with members of the transnational criminal group Black Axe to execute a series of romance scams, lottery frauds, and business email compromise schemes that primarily targeted vulnerable individuals.
These fraudulent activities mainly affected elderly and isolated victims, some of whom lost their entire life savings.
Okere was arrested in South Africa in December 2021 and extradited to the U.S. on August 23, 2024. He now faces a potential five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“Isiah Okere and his co-conspirators preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims, many of whom lost their entire life savings. This office’s global reach ensures he will be held accountable for his crimes in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
The fraudulent activities began in 2015 and continued until November 2019, resulting in significant emotional and financial damage to victims. Some were misled into believing they were in romantic relationships with Okere and his associates, leading them to deplete their retirement savings and even borrow money from family and friends. One victim reported suicidal thoughts after losing her savings.
In addition to romance schemes, Okere and his accomplices employed fraudulent lottery schemes and business email compromise (BEC) fraud to steal from individuals and companies. Many victims faced severe emotional distress, including a woman who became suicidal after losing her retirement savings.
Okere misled victims by claiming they had won cash prizes in a phony lottery but first needed to pay fees to access the funds. He also used the BEC fraud scheme to manipulate a corporate victim in Manhattan into releasing company funds under false pretenses by impersonating the company’s founder.
