A Nigerian citizen in the US on a student visa was sentenced for his role in defrauding people of their life savings in some instances. Otaniyen Iduozee was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for his role in laundering the proceeds from a scheme that US Attorney Richard Frohling called “extensive”.
Court records show that the scheme involved a person, frequently using stolen identity, to target often elderly and vulnerable residents by pretending to be romantically interested, spending weeks or even months grooming the victim through online messaging, emails, texts and voice calls. Eventually some sort of urgent financial need is introduced, designed to get the victim to provide assistance with a promise of repayment that never comes.
Iduozee was identified as a money launderer, moving the funds through multiple transactions, funds that added up to millions of dollars that eventually made their way to Nigeria.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief US District Court Judge Pamela Pepper acknowledged the widespread nature of the schemes and the devastating impact they have upon their victims. Iduozee’s 42-month sentence will be followed by his removal from the United States.
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