Nigerian Gang DRAINS $6M From Elderly Americans

A Nigerian fraud ring orchestrated a seven-year scam that drained over $6 million from more than 400 vulnerable American seniors through fake inheritance schemes—proving once again that our borders and citizens remain under assault from international criminals who exploit the trust of our most defenseless.

Story Snapshot

Ehis Lawrence Akhimie sentenced to 8 years for leading transnational fraud operation targeting elderly Americans
Over 400 seniors, primarily in Florida, lost more than $6 million to fake Spanish bank inheritance letters
Eight co-conspirators sentenced through international cooperation involving Europol and multiple nations
Victims manipulated into paying upfront fees for inheritances that never existed, losing life savings and dignity

International Criminal Network Preys on American Elderly

Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a 41-year-old Nigerian national, received an eight-year-and-one-month federal prison sentence on September 11, 2025, from U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams. The sentence came after Akhimie pleaded guilty to orchestrating a transnational inheritance fraud conspiracy that specifically targeted elderly Americans. His criminal network defrauded over 400 victims of more than $6 million through personalized letters claiming recipients were heirs to multimillion-dollar estates. Victims, mostly Florida residents seeking legitimate inheritances, instead lost their hard-earned savings to criminals exploiting their trust and vulnerability.

Sophisticated Scam Operation Spans Multiple Continents

The fraud scheme operated for over seven years through a network spanning Nigeria, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Co-conspirators sent mass mailings posing as Spanish bank representatives, claiming victims had inherited substantial estates. These personalized letters demanded upfront payments for taxes, legal costs, delivery charges, and processing fees—money that never led to any inheritance. The operation’s sophistication included recruiting former victims as U.S.-based money mules to launder funds, creating layers of complexity that shielded the Nigerian ringleaders from immediate detection by law enforcement.

Justice Department Secures Multiple Convictions Through Global Cooperation

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, working with prosecutors Phil Toomajian and Joshua D. Rothman, secured convictions against eight co-conspirators through unprecedented international cooperation. Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata was extradited from Portugal and sentenced to 97 months by Judge Roy K. Altman earlier in 2025. Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha, arrested in Poland in April 2025, was extradited in September and pleaded guilty in November, receiving 97 months and a $6.8 million restitution order. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Miami Division, alongside Homeland Security Investigations and partners including Europol, INTERPOL, and the UK National Crime Agency, coordinated arrests across multiple jurisdictions.

Scheme Represents Broader Threat to American Seniors

This case exemplifies the ongoing threat posed by Nigerian “419” advance-fee frauds that have evolved since the 1980s-1990s into sophisticated transnational operations. U.S. Attorney Quiñones emphasized that the scheme “stole not only money but dignity from our seniors,” reflecting the devastating emotional and financial toll on victims who trusted what appeared to be legitimate correspondence. The Department of Justice has promoted its elder fraud hotline (1-833-FRAUD-11) to encourage reporting, recognizing that these scams persist due to low operational barriers and the vulnerability of isolated elderly Americans. This prosecution demonstrates necessary enforcement against criminals who view American seniors as easy targets, though the fundamental problem—porous borders enabling international fraud networks—demands stronger preventative measures to protect our most vulnerable citizens.

The successful prosecution resulted from collaboration between the DOJ’s Fraud Section, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and international law enforcement agencies across Europe. While the $6.8 million restitution order offers partial recovery hope for victims, the long-term damage to seniors’ financial security and trust remains incalculable. The case underscores the reality that protecting American families requires both aggressive prosecution and enhanced border security measures to prevent foreign criminals from exploiting our citizens through mail fraud and other transnational schemes that target the isolation and trust of elderly Americans.