DOJ Announces Indictment in Nigerian Banking Scam

It turns out that the fake Nigerian prince/government official/businessman who wants you to invest in a sure thing has a real name. Osondu Victor Igwilo, 49, of Lagos, Nigeria, was charged in a federal complaint filed in the Southern District of Texas in December 2016 and unsealed yesterday.

Igwilo is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to the complaint, Igwilo recruited teams of individuals to send scam emails claiming to be from BB&T Corporation.

He then sent US citizens he had recruited to visit the victims in person to finalize the scam and retrieve funds, which were then laundered through US bank accounts before being sent to Nigeria. The total amount of the victims' losses were not disclosed by the Department of Justice in announcing the indictment.

Eight other individuals have been charged in connection with the scheme. Four await sentencing, two are pending trial, one is pending extradition, and one remains a fugitive.

Igwilo also remains a fugitive.

Read more details here.