Army Reservist Pleads Guilty To Participating In Money Laundering Scheme
summary
U.S. Army Reservist Emeka Nnawuba pled guilty to conspiring to launder over $2 million in fraud proceeds from romance and business compromise scams by using fake identities and forged passports, facing up to 20 years in prison with sentencing set for January 7, 2020.
paragraph
Emeka Nnawuba, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in a scheme that laundered over $2 million in fraud proceeds, primarily from romance scams and business email compromises. He used false identities and forged passports to open bank accounts, withdrew tens of thousands in cash, and transferred more than $1 million to co-conspirators to conceal the illicit funds' origins. Nnawuba faces a maximum 20-year sentence, with sentencing scheduled for January 7, 2020, while five co-conspirators previously pled guilty and received combined forfeitures and restitution exceeding $4 million.
narrative
Emeka Nnawuba, a 29-year-old U.S. Army Reservist from Fayetteville, Arkansas, pled guilty to conspiring to launder over $2 million in proceeds from fraud schemes that targeted dozens of victims through romance scams on dating websites and business compromise impersonations. Using false identities and forged passports, he opened bank accounts, withdrew tens of thousands of dollars in cash, and transferred more than $1 million to co-conspirators to obscure the illicit origins of the funds. The frauds exploited unsuspecting individuals seeking companionship or engaging in legitimate financial transactions, with Nnawuba acting as a key money mover in the conspiracy. Five other individuals had previously pled guilty in connection with the scheme, receiving sentences ranging from probation to 40 months in prison, with combined forfeitures and restitution exceeding $4 million. The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, with assistance from ICE Homeland Security Investigations, and the case was prosecuted by the Southern District of New York. Nnawuba faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence under federal law, with sentencing scheduled for January 7, 2020. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman emphasized that Nnawuba preyed on victims seeking love, only to betray them through theft and deception.
Classified advance-fee(confidence 97%). No EDGAR filing fingerprint (criminal/DOJ-side scheme). detection rule →
Statutes
Parties
business compromise scamschristopher ezejiemeka nnawubafake identitiesGeoffrey S. Bermanifeanyi ezejiKatherine Polk Faillapassport counterfeitingscheme members
Keywords
nnawubaschememoney launderingpledparticipatingbank accountsfraud proceedspled participatingjudge faillarestitution amountproceedsmoneylinkjudgearmy reservist
Extracted insights
Dollar amounts 8
- $2.08M $2,080,347 $1M–$10M
- $2.00M $2,000,000 $1M–$10M
- $1.00M $1 million $1M–$10M
- $874K $873,891 $100K–$1M
- $218K $218,498 $100K–$1M
- $143K $143,192 $100K–$1M
- $600 $600.00 <$10K
- $500 $500.00 <$10K
Entities 11
- person business compromise scams
- person christopher ezeji
- person emeka nnawuba
- person fake identities
- person Geoffrey S. Berman
- person ifeanyi ezeji
- person Katherine Polk Failla
- scheme_term money laundering scheme
- scheme_term participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering
- person passport counterfeiting
- person scheme members
Triples 19
- Emeka Nnawuba pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering
- Emeka Nnawuba opened bank accounts with fake identities
- Emeka Nnawuba laundered more than $2,000,000 in fraud proceeds
- Emeka Nnawuba received over $1 million from unsuspecting women in internet romance scams
- Emeka Nnawuba transferred more than $1 million of fraud proceeds to co-conspirators
- Geoffrey S. Berman announced Emeka Nnawuba's guilty plea on August 1, 2019
- Katherine Polk Failla scheduled sentencing for Emeka Nnawuba on January 7, 2020
- Ifeanyi Ezeji pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering
- Katherine Polk Failla sentenced Ifeanyi Ezeji to 40 months in prison on May 31, 2018
- Ifeanyi Ezeji ordered to forfeit $2,080,347.14
- Ifeanyi Ezeji ordered to pay restitution $873,891.31
- Christopher Ezeji pled guilty to passport counterfeiting
- Katherine Polk Failla sentenced Christopher Ezeji to five years of probation on October 4, 2018
- Christopher Ezeji ordered to forfeit $500.00
- Christopher Ezeji ordered to pay restitution $873,891.31
- Emeka Nnawuba is member of United States Army Reserves
- Money laundering scheme operated from at least 2016 until 2018
- Scheme members perpetrated romance scams against dozens of victims
- Scheme members perpetrated business compromise scams
Extracted body text (5,173c)
Press Release Army Reservist Pleads Guilty To Participating In Money Laundering Scheme Thursday, August 1, 2019 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Emeka Nnawuba Opened Bank Accounts with Fake Identities and Laundered More Than $2,000,000 in Fraud Proceeds Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that EMEKA NNAWUBA, a/k/a “Benjamin Alabie,” who is a member of the United States Army Reserves, has pled guilty to participating in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims. NNAWUBA pled guilty today before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who will impose sentence on January 7, 2020. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Emeka Nnawuba admitted today that he received over $1 million from unsuspecting women in internet romance scams and laundered those proceeds to conceal their origin. Nnawuba callously preyed upon victims looking for companionship, only to come away as victims of theft. Nnawuba tried his luck in love and lost, as he now faces time in prison.” According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court: From at least 2016 until 2018, NNAWUBA participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims. Among other things, NNAWUBA used false identities and false passports to open bank accounts, received or attempted to receive more than $2,000,000 in fraud proceeds, withdrew tens of thousands of dollars of fraud proceeds in cash, and transferred more than $1 million of fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators in an effort to conceal the source of funds. The funds laundered by NNAWUBA were procured principally by (a) romance scams, in which members of the scheme trolled dating websites to find unsuspecting women and stole their money on false pretenses, and (b) business compromise scams, in which members of the scheme impersonated individuals, professionals, or businesses in the course of otherwise ordinary financial transactions, and then fraudulently induced the counterparties to those transactions to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled and operated by NNAWUBA or other members of the scheme. * * * NNAWUBA, 29, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, pled guilty to one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Five other individuals previously were charged and pled guilty in connection with their participation in the scheme. On February 12, 2018, Ifeanyi Ezeji pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering. On May 31, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Ifeanyi Ezeji to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $2,080,347.14 and pay restitution in the amount of $873,891.31. On May 31, 2018, Christopher Ezeji pled guilty to passport counterfeiting. On October 4, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Christopher Ezeji to five years of probation, and ordered him to forfeit $500.00 and pay restitution in the amount of $873,891.31. On June 22, 2018, Peter Abbah pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. On October 2, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Abbah to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and ordered him pay restitution in the amount of $218,498.76. On July 27, 2018, Michael Akhiero pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On April 22, 2019, Judge Failla sentenced Akhiero to seven months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $600.00 and pay restitution in the amount of $143,192.99. On January 11, 2019, Okechukwu Peter Ezika pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Ezika’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled. * * * Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service, and thanked United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for its assistance. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana N. Murray and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution. Updated August 1, 2019 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 19-246
OCR text (5,173c · plain-text · 99% conf)
Press Release Army Reservist Pleads Guilty To Participating In Money Laundering Scheme Thursday, August 1, 2019 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Emeka Nnawuba Opened Bank Accounts with Fake Identities and Laundered More Than $2,000,000 in Fraud Proceeds Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that EMEKA NNAWUBA, a/k/a “Benjamin Alabie,” who is a member of the United States Army Reserves, has pled guilty to participating in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims. NNAWUBA pled guilty today before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who will impose sentence on January 7, 2020. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Emeka Nnawuba admitted today that he received over $1 million from unsuspecting women in internet romance scams and laundered those proceeds to conceal their origin. Nnawuba callously preyed upon victims looking for companionship, only to come away as victims of theft. Nnawuba tried his luck in love and lost, as he now faces time in prison.” According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court: From at least 2016 until 2018, NNAWUBA participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of frauds perpetrated against dozens of victims. Among other things, NNAWUBA used false identities and false passports to open bank accounts, received or attempted to receive more than $2,000,000 in fraud proceeds, withdrew tens of thousands of dollars of fraud proceeds in cash, and transferred more than $1 million of fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators in an effort to conceal the source of funds. The funds laundered by NNAWUBA were procured principally by (a) romance scams, in which members of the scheme trolled dating websites to find unsuspecting women and stole their money on false pretenses, and (b) business compromise scams, in which members of the scheme impersonated individuals, professionals, or businesses in the course of otherwise ordinary financial transactions, and then fraudulently induced the counterparties to those transactions to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled and operated by NNAWUBA or other members of the scheme. * * * NNAWUBA, 29, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, pled guilty to one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Five other individuals previously were charged and pled guilty in connection with their participation in the scheme. On February 12, 2018, Ifeanyi Ezeji pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering. On May 31, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Ifeanyi Ezeji to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $2,080,347.14 and pay restitution in the amount of $873,891.31. On May 31, 2018, Christopher Ezeji pled guilty to passport counterfeiting. On October 4, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Christopher Ezeji to five years of probation, and ordered him to forfeit $500.00 and pay restitution in the amount of $873,891.31. On June 22, 2018, Peter Abbah pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. On October 2, 2018, Judge Failla sentenced Abbah to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and ordered him pay restitution in the amount of $218,498.76. On July 27, 2018, Michael Akhiero pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On April 22, 2019, Judge Failla sentenced Akhiero to seven months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to forfeit $600.00 and pay restitution in the amount of $143,192.99. On January 11, 2019, Okechukwu Peter Ezika pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Ezika’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled. * * * Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service, and thanked United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for its assistance. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana N. Murray and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution. Updated August 1, 2019 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 19-246