A U.S. federal court has sentenced Nigerian national Ehis Lawrence Akhimie to more than eight years in prison for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar inheritance fraud scheme that deceived hundreds of unsuspecting victims, many of them elderly.
The 41-year-old was handed a 97-month jail term on September 11 after admitting to conspiracy charges, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Court documents revealed that Akhimie and his accomplices orchestrated a cross-border scam by sending personalised letters to individuals across the United States.
Disguised as banking officials in Spain, the fraudsters falsely informed recipients that they were entitled to massive inheritances from relatives who had allegedly died abroad.
The victims were then pressured into making upfront payments labelled as “taxes,” “delivery charges,” and other fees to unlock the supposed funds.
They were warned that failure to pay could trigger “government scrutiny.” None of the victims ever received any inheritance.
Investigators said the syndicate laundered the stolen money through a complicated network, even manipulating some U.S.-based victims into acting as unwitting intermediaries who forwarded payments to the group.
In total, more than $6 million was siphoned from over 400 victims.
“This case is a sobering reminder of how calculated criminals can exploit trust,” U.S. Attorney Jason Quiñones said.
“Schemes like these strip seniors not only of their savings but of their dignity. Our office will continue to stand with victims and hold offenders accountable.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division stressed the importance of international coordination in tackling such crimes.
“We will not relent in pursuing fraudsters wherever they are. This successful prosecution shows how crucial global collaboration is in dismantling transnational crime,” he said, crediting U.K. authorities and Europol for their role in the investigation.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) spearheaded the probe. Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo vowed continued vigilance, saying, “We remain committed to shielding American consumers from predatory global networks.”
Echoing this stance, Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede of HSI Arizona remarked, “Exploiting the elderly is not just fraud, it’s an assault on humanity. Justice will always catch up with those who prey on the vulnerable.”
Akhimie is the eighth defendant convicted in the case. Earlier in April, another Nigerian, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, received the same 97-month sentence. U.S.
District Judge Roy Altman, who presided over Ogbata’s sentencing, described the operation as “an incredibly serious crime” targeting “the most vulnerable members of society.”
Several other co-conspirators have already been sentenced in related trials before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams.
The Department of Justice confirmed that authorities in Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, alongside Europol and its Office of International Affairs, provided vital assistance in bringing the fraudsters to justice.