Internet scam: 3 Nigerians jailed 17 years

  1. Posted on Tuesday 7 April 2009 - 10:10
    KingsleyKobo
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    Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    A United States federal court in Brooklyn, New York, has sentenced three Nigerians, Nnamdi Chizuba Anisiobi, Anthony Friday Ehis and Kesandu Egwuonwu to varying jail terms totaling about 17 years for defrauding American victims of over $1.2 million in an advance-fee fraud scam.
    scam
    In a statement jointly signed by the Acting Assistant Attorney General Rita M. Glavin of the Criminal Division and US Attorney Benton J. Campbell of the Eastern District of New York and released by the US Department of Justice said the Nigerians, pleaded guilty in January 2008 to one count of conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud, according to ABC reports.

    According to the statement, the suspects were extradited to the US from Holland on February 21, 2006 after they had been arrested for defrauding their victims of various amounts. They had sent spam mails to their victims, claiming that they controlled millions of dollars. Also, the joint investigation by the US Postal Service and Dutch authorities found that they used various aliases, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

    In another scheme, they sent e-mails purporting to be from a rich individual suffering from terminal throat cancer and who needed assistance to distribute his wealth of approximately $55 million to charity.

    In exchange, those helping in the distribution would be offered a commission of 20 percent on whatever amount they could distribute. Or, they would have the choice to give the amounts to the charity of their choice. The scam attracted many, and the American victims ended up with substantial losses.

    The statement said that in delivering judgment US District Judge Dora L. Irizarry sentenced Anisiobi to 87 months in prison, while Ehis and Egwuonwu received 57 months apiece.

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