A U.S. federal court has sentenced a Nigerian national, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, to 97 months in prison for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar inheritance fraud that duped more than 400 victims, many of them elderly.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said Akhimie, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and was sentenced on September 11.
Court records revealed that Akhimie and his accomplices posed as foreign bank officials, sending personalized letters to Americans claiming they were heirs to large overseas inheritances.
Victims were instructed to pay supposed delivery fees, taxes, and other charges to access the fictitious funds.
The money was funneled through intermediaries, including former scam victims in the United States who were deceived into acting as couriers for the syndicate.
Prosecutors said the scheme stole over $6 million, leaving victims with nothing.
“Schemes like this steal not only money but dignity from our seniors,” U.S. Attorney Jason Quiñones said, vowing continued prosecution of such crimes.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate highlighted the role of international cooperation, thanking authorities in the U.K., Spain, Portugal, and Europol for assisting in the investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Akhimie is the eighth defendant sentenced in connection with the fraud ring.
Earlier this year, another Nigerian, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, received the same sentence of 97 months.
U.S. officials said the case underscores their commitment to protecting vulnerable populations from transnational fraud schemes.