By Divine Sam
Chukwunonso Obiora, a 37-year-old Nigerian man, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison in the U.S. for his involvement in a sophisticated money laundering operation.
The criminal activities included laundering funds from business email compromise (BEC) scams and fraudulently obtaining a U.S. passport. Obiora, arrested in October 2023, was convicted after pleading guilty in June 2024 to passport fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
Between 2021 and 2023, Obiora led a scheme that defrauded businesses of millions of dollars by impersonating trusted entities via email and redirecting payments to accounts controlled by the criminals.
The total restitution and forfeiture he faces amount to over $3.3 million. His criminal activities extended internationally, with funds transferred to Nigeria, China, and other countries.
Obiora also conspired to fraudulently obtain a passport to re-enter the U.S. after being deported. The investigation was carried out by U.S. law enforcement, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Diplomatic Security Service.
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