Nigerian man to face 20 year jail term over inheritance fraud in U.S.
A Nigerian national was extradited from Poland to face federal charges in the United States over an elaborate inheritance fraud scheme targeting elderly Americans, authorities said Monday.
Tochuwku Albert Nnebocha, 43, appeared in federal court in Miami, where he faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
According to prosecutors, Nnebocha operated a transnational criminal organization that sent personalized letters to seniors across the country, falsely claiming that the recipients were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives in Spain.
Victims were told they needed to pay upfront fees, taxes, or other charges to access the supposed funds. In reality, the money was funnelled to Nnebocha and his associates through a network of U.S.-based former victims.
Court documents describe the scheme as ongoing for more than five years, defrauding scores of Americans. Nnebocha faces charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as individual counts of mail and wire fraud.
Two other defendants in the case have already pleaded guilty. U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman sentenced Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, and Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, extradited from the United Kingdom, to 97 months in prison each for their roles in the scheme.
“This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to protect seniors from transnational fraud,” prosecutors said.
Investigations have involved the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, INTERPOL, and Polish authorities.
What you should know
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, INTERPOL, and Polish authorities. Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Josh Rothman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case.
Authorities encouraged anyone age 60 or older who may have been targeted by fraud to contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline provides guidance, referrals, and personalized support to help victims report crimes and recover potential losses.
Nnebocha’s extradition is part of a broader effort to bring international fraudsters to justice and protect vulnerable populations from increasingly sophisticated financial scams. The case also highlights the challenges of prosecuting transnational crimes, which often involve complex networks of intermediaries and operations spanning multiple countries.
