U.S. Department
of Justice
Man convicted of multimillion-dollar international advance fee scheme
HOUSTON – A federal jury has convicted an Indiana man for his role in a multimillion-dollar international advance fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The jury deliberated for 45 minutes before convicting Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, Indianapolis, Indiana, following a six-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from at least February 2015 to January 2018, Nwosisi participated in an advance fee scheme involving fraudulent offers of investment funding and inheritances to victims around the world. Co-conspirators based in Nigeria induced victims to make large wire payments to bank accounts in the United States on the false belief that payment of the purported advance fees was necessary before the bank would release their funding or inheritance. Nwosisi served as a money launderer who accepted victim funds into his U.S. bank accounts and directed the proceeds to the ringleaders in Nigeria.
The jury heard that victims around the world have lost a combined total of more than $5.6 million.
“Those who enable fraudsters by helping them move and hide money taken from victims are just as responsible for their crimes as the people who run the scam themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Nwosisi took nearly $1 million from victims to enrich himself and his co-conspirators. He deserves to face the consequences for his crimes.”
The jury convicted Nwosisi of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering. He will be scheduled for sentencing at a later date. At that time, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
To date, six others have been convicted for their roles in the scheme.
Nwosisi was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI and Department of State - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Latham is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section of the Department of Justice.