Nigerian National Extradited from Malaysia Receives Eight-Year Sentence in US for $6.3 Million Fraud

A 39-year-old Nigerian national, Okechukwu Valentine Osuji, was sentenced to eight years in prison in New Haven, Connecticut, for running a business email compromise scheme across multiple countries, including the United States.

Osuji was sentenced on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, two years after his arrest in Malaysia and subsequent extradition to the United States in 2022.

The United States Department of Justice announced the sentence in a statement released on Thursday, December 5.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Osuji and his co-conspirators targeted specific individuals and businesses by impersonating trustworthy entities in electronic communications to steal money.

They employed both willing and unwitting “money mules” to receive the fraud proceeds in their bank accounts, then either transferred the funds to accounts controlled by the co-conspirators or converted the stolen money into cash for further transfer.

Over the course of the years-long operation, numerous victims were tricked into transferring funds to bank accounts they believed were controlled by legitimate recipients as part of regular business transactions. In reality, these accounts were under the control of Osuji and his co-conspirators.

Victims included a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, a New York-based food and beverage company, among many others.

The scheme also involved the exploitation of elderly individuals through romance scams, with some serving as unwitting money mules.

One woman testified at trial that she was deceived into sending her personal savings and income, including Social Security checks, to someone she believed was her romantic partner. In reality, this individual was one of Osuji’s co-conspirators.

The scam caused her to nearly deplete her life savings, declare bankruptcy, and lose her home to repossession. Her personal bank account was also used to facilitate fraud against one of the companies targeted by Osuji.

Osuji was arrested in Malaysia and extradited to the United States in 2022. On May 1, 2024, a jury in New Haven found him guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The scheme resulted in total losses and intended losses exceeding $6 million. At his sentencing, Osuji was ordered to pay restitution to his victims.

Osuji’s alleged co-conspirator, John Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia, and extradition proceedings are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and Wamuigah is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Another co-conspirator, Tolulope Bodunde, also a Nigerian citizen, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on October 16 to two years in prison.

The announcement was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office.

The case was investigated by the FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Royal Malaysia Police, and the Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers provided crucial assistance in securing Osuji’s arrest and extradition.

Trial Attorney Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case.