The United States Department of Justice has indicted 77 Nigerians in connection to massive fraud that involves a total of 80 people.
On Thursday, August 22, 2019, Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California disclosed that 14 suspects were arrested in raids carried out across the U.S.
He said that many co-conspirators are still in Nigeria, with others also at large in the U.S. and other countries.
"We believe this is one of the largest cases of its kind in US history," United States Attorney for the Central District of California, Nick Hanna, said during a press conference on Thursday.
Paul Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), disclosed that the agency is working with security agencies in nine countries to apprehend 57 defendants.
He said the case involves 32 confirmed victims located in the U.S., Japan, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Ukraine, China, Mexico, Germany, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Trinidad and Tobago.
"It shows the extensive reach of the cybercriminals involved in this kind of schemes," he said.
He included that the losses in the case are approximately $10 million.
Below is a list of Nigerians who have been indicted:
- Valentine Iro, aka “Iro Enterprises,” aka “Valentine Obinna Iro ,” aka “Obinna Iro ,” aka “Obinna Nassa”
- Chukwudi Chri Stogunus Igbokwe, aka “Christogunus C. Igbokwe,” aka “Chris Kudon ,” aka “Atete,” aka “Still Kudon”
- Jerry Elo Ikogho, aka “J Man”
- Izuchukwu Kingsley Umejesi, aka “Kingsley Umejesi, “ aka “Armeni an Man,” aka “Kingsley LA,” aka “Izuking Aka Aku”
- Adegoke Moses Ogungbe, aka “P & P Motors,” aka “Pp”
- Albert Lewis Cathey, aka “Alb,” aka “Abert Jag,” aka “Al”
- Tityaye Marina Mansbangura, aka “Tityaye Igbokwe,” aka “Marina Mansour,” aka “Marina Mansaray,” aka “Marina Tityaye Mans Bangura”
- Chukwudi Collins Ajaeze, aka “Thank You Jesus”
- Ekene Augustine Ekechukwu, aka “Ogedi Power,” aka “Power”
- Chuks Eroha, aka “Chuks Nassa Iro,” aka “Nassa,” aka “Prince Chuddy,” aka “Nurse Chuddy,”
- Collins Nnaemeka Ojimba, aka “Collins Emeka Ojimba,” aka “Ojimba Collins,” aka “Charly.Africa,”
- Uchenna Ochiagha, aka “Urch Agu,” aka “Advanced Mega Plus Ltd”
- Nnamdi Theojoseph Duru, aka “Duru Theo Joseph Nnamdi,” aka “Williams High School,” aka “Ifytyns”
- Ericson Uche Oforka, aka “Oforka,” aka “Eric Oforka”
- Mark Ifeanyi Chukwuocha, aka “Mark Iheanyi Chukwuocha,” aka “Chukwu Mark,” aka “Markife”
- Augustine Nnamdi, aka “Nnamdi Augustine,” aka “Jazz”
- Chiemezie Christopher Chilaka, aka “Fanta”
- Charles Ohajimkpo, aka “Giggs,” aka “Ryan Giggs,” aka “Charles”
- Stanley Ugochukwu Uche, aka “Ugo Law,” aka “Uche Stanley,” aka “He is risen. Happy Easter!”
- Chika Augustine Odionyenma, aka “Tony Augustin Odionyenma,” aka “Chika Tony,” aka “CTA Finance Source Intl”
- Paschal Chima Ogbonna, aka “Chima,” aka “Paschal”
- Samuel Nnamdi Onwuasoanya, aka “Sammy Lee Nnamdi,” aka “Onwuasoanya Samuel Nnamdi,” aka “Enugu Ogo”
- MacWilliam Chinonso Chukwuocha, aka “ChiBoy”
- Emmanuel Onyeka Uzoka, aka “Emmanuel Mansion,” aka “Mansion,” aka “Son of God,” aka “Ezirim Uzoma”
- Joshua Aniefiok Awak, aka “Joe Awk,” aka “Kwee Tin Law”
- George Ugochukwu Egwumba, aka “George Ugo,” aka “Ugo Aunty Scholar”
- Uchechukwu Solomon Ezirim, aka “Uche Nwanne,” aka “Uche Ezirim”
- Augustine Ifeanyi Okafor, aka “Zero,” aka “St.Austine,” aka “Austine,” aka “Ifeanyichukwu Okafor”
- Leslie N. Mba, aka “Mystical,” aka “Nwachinemere Leslie”
- Ogochukwu Innocent Ikewesi, aka “Ogoo UK,” aka “Innocent Ikewesi”
- Emmanuel Uzoma Ogandu, aka “Nwachinaemere,” aka “Uzoma”
- Amarachukwu Harley Anyanwu, aka “GodisGod,” aka “War B”
- Bright Ifeanyi Azubuike, aka “Bright Bauer Azubuike,” aka “Ifeanyi Jnr”
- Emeka Moses Nwachukwu, aka “All Man,” aka “Omalitoto,”
- Chinwendu Kenneth Osuji, aka “Father”
- Eusebius Ugochukwu Onyeka, aka “Ugo UK,” aka “sly19 sly”
- Chidi Anunobi, aka “Anunobi Chidi,” aka “Chidioo”
- Anthony Nwabunwanne Okolo, aka “Eric West,” aka “Erci West,” aka “Code”
- Obinna Christian Onuwa, aka “Papa Chukwuezugo,” aka “Obinna Onuwa Abala,” aka “Obyno Abala”
- Chijioke Chukwuma Isamade, aka “Mr CJ,” aka “CJ”
- Linus Nnamdi Madufor, aka “Madufor Nnamdi”
- Chrysaugonus Nnebedum, aka “Cris”
- Ugochukwu Okereke, aka “Blade,” aka “Kingsly Cris,” aka “Okereke Ugochukwu”
- Fidel Leon Odimara, aka “Fiedel Odimara,” aka “Ndaa,” aka “Dee Dutchman”
- Kingsley Chinedu Onudorogu, aka “OBJ”
- Dessi Nzenwah, aka “Desmond Sage,” aka “Des Nzenwa,” aka “Saga Lounge”
- Chimaroke Obasi, aka “Chima Russia”
- James Chigozie Agube, aka “Smart,” aka “Smart Agube,” aka “Smart Chigozie Agube”
- Chimaobi Uzozie Okorie, aka “Omaobi,” aka “Mobility”
- Ogochukwu Ohiri, aka “Ogomegbulam Ohiri,” aka “Ologbo”
- Kennedy Chibueze Ugwu, aka “Kennedy David”
- Ifeanyichukwu Oluwadamilare Agwuegbo, aka “B😎😎$$ IFF¥”
- Victor Ifeanyi Chukwu, aka “Ifeannyi Soccer,” aka “Vic Chux”
- Chidi Emmanuel Megwa, aka “Cantr,” aka “Canta Jr.”
- Princewill Arinze Duru, aka “Arnzi Prince Will,” aka “Arinze”
- Desmond Iwu, aka “Desmond Chigozie Iwu,” aka “Lalaw,” aka “Odo Desmond”
- Onyeka Vincent Chika, aka “Chyco,” aka “Chika Ejima,” aka “Vincent Chika Onyeka”
- Ifeanyi Kingsley Mezienwa, aka “Ifeanyi Ali,” aka “Ifeanyichukwu Mezienwa”
- Victor Uchenna Aguh, aka “Orch Sod,” aka “Uche SP,” aka “Rich Homie Urch”
- Kevin Amarachi Eshimbu, aka “Humble,” aka “Humble Amarachukwu,” aka “Dato Humble”
- Vitalis Kelechi Anozie, aka “Kelechi Vitalis Anozie,” aka “Kelechi Anozieh,” aka “Pastor Kel Anozie,” aka “Pastor Kc,” aka “Choice”
- Williams Obiora Agunwa, aka “Don Williams”
- George Chimezie Dike, aka “Chimekros,” aka “Slim Dad…No…1”
- Munachiso Kyrian Ukachukwu, aka “Muna”
- Nwannebuike Osmund, aka “Osmund Nwannebuike,” aka “Olivite,” aka “Nikky Bro.”
- Chidiebere Franklin Nwangwu, aka “Frank Chidi,” aka “Franklin Nwangwu,” aka “Agogo”
- Damian Uchechukwu Ajah, aka “Uche Ajah,” aka “Ajah Damian Uchechukwu,” aka “Uchechukwu Demian Ajah”
- Emeka P. Ejiofor, aka “Ejiofor Emeka”
- Lawrence Chukwuma Ubasineke, aka “Ubasineke Chuks,” aka “Chukwuma Ubasineke”
- Chinedu Bright Ibeto, aka “Doggy,” aka “Doggy Lucino”
- Valentine Amarachi Nwanegwo, aka “Satis,” aka “Satis Amarachi Satis”
- Emmanuel Chidiebere Dike, aka “Emmanet”
- Jeremiah Utieyin Eki, aka “Uti”
- Chinaka Davidson Iwuoha, aka “Tmrw Afrika Will Wake Up,” aka “Cookie,” aka “All Africa Media Network”
- Chima Darlington Duru, aka “Kajad,” aka “Kajad Jesus”
- Ikenna Christian Ihejiureme, aka “Piper,” aka “Am Happy!”
- Obi Onyedika Madekwe, aka “Odu Investment”
Three others with Nigerian-sounding nicknames were also listed, but their names are currently unknown. - First Name Unknown (FNU) Last Name Unknown (LNU), aka “Xplora G”
- FNU LNU, aka “Donatus Izunwanne,” aka “Izunwanne Donatus Chibuikem,” aka “Deworlddonmax”
- FNU LNU, aka “Okay Sam Mal”
The suspects are on the hook for conspiracy to engage in money laundering; conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud; wire and bank fraud; and money laundering.
Other charges include engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity; operating an unlicensed money transmitting business; destruction of property to prevent seizure; false statements; aggravated identity theft; aiding and abetting; and criminal forfeiture.
Hanna said, "If convicted, all of the defendants face potential decades in federal prison."