Three individuals who orchestrated an elaborate inheritance fraud scheme, preying on the elderly and vulnerable, have been sentenced to more than 21 years in prison after pleading guilty in the United States. Jonathan Iheanyichukwu Abraham, Emmanuel Samuel, and Jerry Chucks Ozor, all hailing from Nigeria and in their forties, were apprehended in south London by the National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in April 2022.
The intricate web of deception, spanning international borders, saw the trio exploit unsuspecting victims, causing losses worth millions of dollars. Collaborating with US partners, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office, the NCA’s Complex Financial Crime Team played a pivotal role in securing their extradition to the US earlier this year.
Additional suspects implicated in the fraudulent activities were apprehended by Spanish authorities in Madrid, with related enforcement actions taking place in Portugal. The extent of the fraud’s international scope prompted a coordinated effort involving the US Department of Justice, the US Postal Inspection Service, and European counterparts. This collaboration facilitated the arrest of suspects, collection of evidence, and disruption of the elaborate criminal network.
The modus operandi involved sending unsolicited letters to individuals, informing them of a deceased distant relative and their impending inheritance of significant assets. Once victims were lured into engagement, they were coerced into making payments for purported charges and costs, intended to release the promised assets.
The fraud scheme targeted thousands of victims, primarily within the United States, resulting in the identification of fraud amounting to millions of dollars. The nature and scale of the criminal enterprise prompted Gary Cathcart, Head of Financial Investigation at the NCA, to emphasise the importance of international cooperation in combating such malevolent activities.
Cathcart remarked, “This was a transnational, high harm fraud, where a dispersed network of ruthless criminals worked together to identify and target victims, inflicting life changing damage to vulnerable people. International cooperation is essential to tackle such criminals; by working with our partners, we can disrupt fraud and better protect the public.”
Given the prevalence of scams targeting individuals globally, law enforcement agencies advise exercising caution and skepticism when encountering unexpected solicitations for money or personal information. Victims are urged to report fraud or cybercrime promptly, either through Action Fraud (www.actionfraud.police.uk) or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, reports should be directed to Police Scotland at 101. If victimised by fraud, promptly notifying one’s bank allows for investigation and safeguarding of the account.
