$2.1m Bribe: U.S. Seizes Ex-NNPC Official’s California Home Over Money Laundering, Tax Evasion

$2.1m Bribe: U.S. Seizes Ex-NNPC Official’s California Home Over Money Laundering, Tax Evasion
The case has drawn attention in both Nigeria and the United States
Investigators later discovered that the transaction was a bribe arranged by Addax executives

A United States District Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of a luxury California home belonging to Paulinus Okoronkwo, a Nigerian-American and former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), after finding that it was acquired with proceeds of bribery.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the ruling was delivered by Judge John Walter on October 3, followed Okoronkwo’s conviction for transactional money laundering, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice.

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According to prosecutors, Okoronkwo received a $2.1 million bribe from Addax Petroleum, a Swiss subsidiary of China’s state-owned Sinopec in exchange for granting favourable drilling rights in Nigeria during his tenure at NNPC.

Court documents revealed that the payment, made in October 2015, was routed through Okoronkwo’s Los Angeles law firm trust account and disguised as consultancy fees. Investigators later discovered that the transaction was a bribe arranged by Addax executives who allegedly falsified internal records and dismissed employees who questioned the payment.

Prosecutors told the court that Okoronkwo, who ran a small law practice in Koreatown, Los Angeles, used about $1 million of the illicit funds as a down payment on a luxury property located at 25340 Twin Oaks Place, Valencia, California.

$2.1m Bribe: U.S. Seizes Ex-NNPC Official’s California Home Over Money Laundering, Tax Evasion

He also failed to declare the income in his 2015 tax filings, violating U.S. tax laws.

The forfeiture order covers the property described as Tract Number 45433, Lot 12, with Assessor’s Parcel Number 2826-143-004. The court found a “clear nexus” between the asset and the crimes listed in Counts 1–3 of the indictment, which included money laundering in violation of U.S. Code 18 §1957.

Judge Walter ruled that all rights and interests of the defendant in the property “are hereby forfeited to the United States” and authorised the Attorney General’s office to seize the home under federal forfeiture statutes.

The U.S. government has issued a public notice inviting any person with a valid claim to the property to file a petition within 60 days.

Okoronkwo’s sentencing is set for December 1, where he faces potential prison time and further financial penalties. The case has drawn attention in both Nigeria and the United States, highlighting international cooperation in tracing illicit oil money and combating cross-border corruption.

If upheld, the ruling will mark another major U.S. enforcement action targeting foreign bribery linked to Nigeria’s oil sector, a persistent challenge for both nations.