In a $17 million fraud case, a U.S. judge sentences five Nigerians to almost 160 years in prison.
Five Nigerian nationals were sentenced to almost 160 years in prison by a US District Court in Sherman, Texas, for their roles in a multi-million dollar fraud operation that defrauded at least 100 individual victims, businesses, and governmental organizations worldwide.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, made the announcement after conducting a coordinated investigation as part of Operation Take Back America.
Due to their involvement in a complex fraud and money laundering scheme that robbed victims of around $17 million, the five convicted individuals received a total sentence of nearly 160 years in federal prison.
The defendants collectively scammed victims out of millions of dollars as members of an international organized crime network. Some people couldn’t recover financially because this was their life savings,” FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock stated.
Christopher J. Altemus, Jr., IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office, stated, “The nearly 160-year sentences that these defendants received collectively are a testament to the unwavering resolve of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and our law enforcement partners.”
On June 16, 2025, U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III presided over the sentencing proceedings.
The following people were found guilty and given sentences: Plano, Texas resident
Damilola Kumapayi, 39, was given a 109-month sentence after entering a guilty plea to conspiracy to conduct wire fraud.
After entering a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, 50, of Plano, Texas, was sentenced to 365 months in prison.
Edgal Iribhogbe, 51, of Allen, Texas, was found guilty at trial and given a 480-month sentence.
Chidindu Okeke, 32, of Houston, Texas, was found guilty at trial and given a 480-month sentence.
Chiagoziem Okeke, 32, of Houston, Texas, was found guilty at trial and given a 480-month sentence.
The type of fraud
According to court papers, the defendants were involved in a multinational organized crime organization from January 2017 until their arrest.
Information submitted in court indicates that starting around January 2017, the defendants employed a variety of fraudulent schemes, such as investment fraud, company email compromise, online romance scams, and unemployment insurance fraud, to defraud their victims of their money. After successfully defrauding their victims, the defendants planned how to conceal, distribute, and launder the money they had taken from them.
At least 100 people, businesses, and governmental organizations from all around the world had at least $17 million stolen as a result of the operation.
The scheme specifically targeted elderly persons and used various schemes, such as online dating sites, to lure their victims.
Once funds were obtained from their victims, the defendants laundered the money through a network of various bank accounts and sent money to bank accounts, co-conspirators and businesses located in Africa and Asia, “they stated.
Law enforcement response
The FBI’s Dallas Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, and several other federal and local agencies were involved in the investigation. Officials emphasized the severity of the crimes and the impact on the victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs described the acts as “despicable,” stating that the American justice system will continue to pursue transnational fraudsters who prey on vulnerable populations.
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