A Nigerian man, Adetomiwa Seun Akindele, has been sentenced by a United States District Court to five years and 11 months in prison for defrauding an elderly American woman of $1.6 million. The court also ordered that he be deported to Nigeria after completing his jail term.
The sentencing, delivered by Judge Charlotte Sweeney, followed Akindele’s guilty plea to charges of wire fraud and money laundering. According to details released by the US Department of Justice, the 37-year-old, who lived in Minnesota before his arrest, was also directed to repay $1,692,945 to the victim and forfeit the same amount.
The fraudulent scheme was carried out between January and October 2018. During this period, Akindele created a fake identity, posing as an Italian-American businessman named Frank Labato. He contacted the victim online, gradually building trust through emails and phone calls. He later convinced her that he was facing a financial crisis related to his supposed business abroad and persuaded her to provide financial assistance.
Investigators revealed that the victim, acting under his instructions, opened a cryptocurrency exchange account through which she transferred over $1.6 million. Akindele then converted the funds into cryptocurrencies, spread them across several digital wallets, and later moved them into his personal bank accounts.
To strengthen the deception, he issued three false promissory notes, assuring the victim that she would be repaid. However, the funds were never returned. His arrest led to formal charges, and he eventually admitted guilt to the offences.
The Department of Justice confirmed that apart from his prison sentence, Akindele will face deportation once his jail term is over.
His conviction adds to a growing list of Nigerians prosecuted in the US for internet-related crimes. Earlier in the week, another Nigerian, Ehis Akhimie, was sentenced to over eight years in prison for his involvement in a $6 million inheritance fraud that targeted hundreds of elderly victims across America.