A Nigerian identified simply as Edwin Okoronkwo, who was sentenced to 75 months imprisonment for defrauding some Americans, will be deported after completing his jail term....Read Full Article >>➤
The US Department of Justice made the conviction known in a statement shared on its official website on Thursday, February 6. The United States Department of Justice disclosed that Edwin Okoronkwo, a citizen of Nigeria and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, and his spouse, Julie Okoronkwo, resided in Nebraska.
Edwin connived with his wife, Julie, who was also sentenced to 25 months imprisonment. According to the statement, Julie was jailed for her role in the catfishing scheme that targeted unsuspecting Americans.
How Nigerian couple reportedly defrauded Americans
The statement disclosed that the convicts disguised themselves as a high-ranking member of the US military to defraud their victims.
It also noted that Julie often used social media and phone calls to lure the victims into believing the authenticity of their claims.
The convicts were said to have obtained money from their victims through postal services.
Additionally, the couple were said to have received payments through the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS, from unsuspecting victims, said to be Americans.
The statement read:
‘In some instances, they claimed to be high-ranking members of the United States military on overseas missions. Through the “catfishing” schemes, victims from all over the country were tricked into sending money through the United States Postal Service and other commercial carriers such as FedEx and UPS.”
Nigerian to pay $342K restitution before deportation
The statement further noted that following their arrest and prosecution, the judge also ordered Edwin to pay restitution to the tune of $342,535.00 to some of the victims, a supervised release for three years and deportation.
Federal authorities also emphasised that there was no parole in the U.S. federal system, hence, Edwin will serve his full sentence.
“United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that there is no parole in the federal system,” the statement noted.
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