Three Nigerians have been sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in an international mail and wire fraud scheme that targeted elderly individuals in the United States. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark A. Totten, announced the sentences on Wednesday, detailing the convictions of the three individuals who pleaded guilty in July 2024.
Fatai Okunola, 38, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, received a 121-month prison sentence for his role in the fraud conspiracy. Additionally, Okunola was ordered to pay $731,879.16 in restitution. He also faced sentences for making false statements during his naturalization process (60 months) and for money laundering (120 months). These sentences will run concurrently with his fraud conspiracy sentence. After serving his term, Okunola will be deported to Nigeria.
Oluwaseyi Adeola, 34, from Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 34 months for his involvement in the scheme and ordered to pay $409,968.93 in restitution.
Ijeoma Adeola, 36, also from Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to three years of probation for misprision of a felony. She failed to report the fraud and took actions to conceal the crime. She was also ordered to pay $48,570 in restitution.
Court records revealed that the defendants collaborated with individuals in Nigeria to defraud U.S. citizens, particularly the elderly, using fraudulent schemes transmitted via mail and wire communications. Many victims lost significant portions of their retirement savings or took out loans to cover their losses. The fraud caused severe financial distress for the victims.
The case highlights the dangers of international fraud schemes that prey on vulnerable individuals, particularly seniors, and serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance against financial crimes.
