Four Nigerians, 11 Others Charged For Wire Fraud In US Court

US Department of Justice: unseals the complaints against the Nigerians and 11 others

At least four Nigerians were among the 15 defendants Charged In Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday for $18 Million fraud.

The Nigerians are Oladayo Oladokun, Farouk Kukoyi, Baldwin Osuji, and Henry Ogbuokiri.

Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, the Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Patrick Freaney, the Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service, and Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, announced the unsealing today of a criminal complaint charging the 15 defendants.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

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Four defendants were arrested on Tuesday in the District of Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the Eastern District of Virginia, and were to be presented in those districts’ federal courts.

One defendant is in state custody and will be presented at a later date. Ten defendants remain at large.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, these defendants conspired to steal millions of dollars by stealing identities, opening fictitious bank accounts, and depositing stolen checks – or conning victims to wire funds – into those accounts. All told, as alleged, the scheme netted more than $18 million and victimized numerous individuals and businesses. Thanks to the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners, the game is up.”

All defendants – Oladokun, 46, Kukoyi, 33, Osuji, 31, Ogbuokiri, 32, HICKS, 24, NELSON, 28, BANKS, 27, DOUKOURE, 61, SKEETE, 36, OSEI, 32, POOLE, 29, WILLIAMS, 62, BARTLEY, 58, MURRAY-SESAY, 35, and HEAVEN, 49 – are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.