THREE DEFENDANTS PLEAD GUILTY IN “ADVANCE-FEE” FRAUD SCHEME
Fraud Victims Lose More Than $1.2 Million
WASHINGTON – Three defendants pleaded guilty to federal charges of running an
“advance-fee” scheme that targeted U.S. victims with promises of millions of dollars, including
money from an estate and a lottery, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal
Division and U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell of the Eastern District of New York announced
today. The guilty plea proceedings were held before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E.
Reyes, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.
The investigation was initiated by Dutch law enforcement authorities. After identifying
victims in the United States, the Dutch authorities notified the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,
which opened its own investigation, resulting in the charges against the defendants. Three of the
defendants were arrested in Amsterdam on February 21, 2006, and were subsequently extradited
to the United States. They are:
• Nnamdi Chizuba Anisiobi (a/k/a Yellowman, Abdul Rahman, Michael Anderson,
Edmund Walter, Nancy White, Jiggaman, and Namo), 31, citizen of Nigeria;
• Anthony Friday Ehis (a/k/a John J. Smith, Toni N. Amokwu and Mr. T), 34,
citizen of Senegal; and
• Kesandu Egwuonwu (a/k/a KeKe, Joey Martin Maxwell, David Mark, Helmut
Schkinger), 35, citizen of Nigeria.
Anisiobi pled guilty to one count of conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud, and one
count of mail fraud. Ehis pled guilty to one count of conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud.
Egwuonwu pled guilty to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud and one count of
mail fraud. The fraud victims allegedly lost more than $1.2 million.
A fourth defendant, also a Nigerian citizen, Lenn Nwokeafor (a/k/a Eric Williams, Lee,
Chucks, and Nago), fled to Nigeria and was subsequently arrested by the Nigerian Economic &
Financial Crimes Commission on July 27, 2006, pursuant to a United States arrest warrant. He
is being held by the Nigerian authorities pending extradition to the United States.
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According to the indictment and an earlier filed complaint, the defendants sent “spam”
e-mails to thousands of potential victims, in which they falsely claimed to control millions of
dollars located abroad. Attempting to conceal their identities, the defendants used a variety of
aliases, phone numbers, and email addresses. In one scenario, the defendants sent emails
purporting to be from an individual suffering from terminal throat cancer who needed assistance
distributing approximately $55 million to charity. In exchange for a victim’s help, the
defendants offered to give a 20% commission to the victim or a charity of his or her choice.
Subsequently, as part of the ruse, the defendants would send a variety of fraudulent documents,
including a “Letter of Authority” or a “Certificate of Deposit,” making it appear that the
promised funds were available, and pictures of an individual claiming to suffer from throat
cancer. Defendant Anisiobi allegedly telephoned victims, disguising his voice to give the
impression that he was suffering from throat cancer.
After obtaining their victims’ trust, the defendants asked them to wire-transfer payment
for a variety of advance fees, ostensibly for legal representation, taxes, and additional
documentation. In return, the victims received nothing. In a variation of the scheme, if the
victims said they could not afford to pay the advance fees, the defendants would send them
counterfeit checks, supposedly from a cancer patient, to cover those fees. Many victims
deposited the checks and then drew on them to wire-transfer the advance fees. Subsequently,
when the checks did not clear, the victims suffered substantial losses.
“Online scam artists should be on notice that we will continue to work closely with our
international partners to ensure that there are no safe geographic boundaries for committing these
crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division.
“These defendants preyed upon the kindness and charity of their victims by sending
thousands of scam emails aimed at their recipients’ heartstrings,” stated United States Attorney
Benton J. Campbell. “If you receive an email offering you money in exchange for an advance
fee, you would be well advised to delete it.”
The maximum penalty for mail and wire fraud is 20 years in prison. The conspiracy
charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted by Fraud
Section Trial Attorneys Mary (Kit) Dimke, Amanda Riedel, and Nicola Mrazek, Paralegal
Pamela Johnson, and Assistant United States Attorney Tanya Hill.
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