Georgia Man Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Laundering Millions In Proceeds From Fraud Schemes Perpetrated By Nigeria-Based Criminal Enterprise

Press Release Georgia Man Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Laundering Millions In Proceeds From Fraud Schemes Perpetrated By Nigeria-Based Criminal Enterprise Friday, April 12, 2024 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 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that UWEMEDIMO UMOREN was sentenced to three years in prison for his participation in an international wire fraud conspiracy based in Nigeria, involving the theft of millions of dollars from victims across the U.S., by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. UMOREN pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on August 28, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The multimillion-dollar fraud enterprise Uwemedimo Umoren participated in preyed on the trust of elder Americans and others, using deceitful tactics to drain their hard-earned savings. The impact of this financial exploitation on the victims is devastating. With today’s sentencing, justice is served, but our fight isn’t over. This case underscores the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in combatting complex fraud schemes and safeguarding Americans from financial fraud and exploitation.” According to allegations in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court: From at least in or about 2016 through at least in or about December 2021, UMOREN participated in a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Nigeria that conducted a series of scams against individuals and businesses located across the U.S. UMOREN facilitated the laundering of proceeds of the Enterprise’s investment, business email compromise, and romance scams. Members of the Enterprise used electronic messages sent via email, text messaging, or online dating websites to gain the trust of the victims, many of whom were vulnerable older men and women who lived alone, and caused the victims to transfer money to bank accounts controlled by members of the Enterprise. UMOREN received fraud proceeds from victims of the Enterprise in more than a dozen business bank accounts that he controlled in Georgia. The business bank accounts were opened in the names of companies formed by the defendant that were purportedly involved in, among other things, automobile sales and health care. From in or about 2016 through at least in or about December 2021, UMOREN controlled at least 15 bank accounts held in the name of shell companies he controlled that received deposits totaling over approximately $8 million. At least 17 individual and corporate victims lost money as part of UMOREN and his co-conspirators’ schemes. The victims include vulnerable, isolated, and elderly victims who entered into relationships after the deaths of their spouses and, over a period of several years, were induced to drain their entire retirement savings. Many victims experienced severe emotional harm, including a now-deceased man whose stress from losing his life savings to the schemes contributed to his suffering a stroke. * * * In addition to the prison term, UMOREN, 62, of Hoschton, Georgia, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. UMOREN was also ordered to forfeit a money judgment in the amount of $8,230,516.04 and was ordered to pay $1,246,072 in restitution. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service (“USSS”). Mr. Williams also thanked the USSS Field Office in Atlanta, Georgia, for its assistance in the investigation of this case. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juliana N. Murray is in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Lauren Scarff, Shelby Wratchford (212) 637-2600 Updated April 12, 2024 Topic Financial Fraud Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 24-130

Press Release Georgia Man Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Laundering Millions In Proceeds From Fraud Schemes Perpetrated By Nigeria-Based Criminal Enterprise Friday, April 12, 2024 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 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that UWEMEDIMO UMOREN was sentenced to three years in prison for his participation in an international wire fraud conspiracy based in Nigeria, involving the theft of millions of dollars from victims across the U.S., by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. UMOREN pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on August 28, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The multimillion-dollar fraud enterprise Uwemedimo Umoren participated in preyed on the trust of elder Americans and others, using deceitful tactics to drain their hard-earned savings. The impact of this financial exploitation on the victims is devastating. With today’s sentencing, justice is served, but our fight isn’t over. This case underscores the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in combatting complex fraud schemes and safeguarding Americans from financial fraud and exploitation.” According to allegations in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court: From at least in or about 2016 through at least in or about December 2021, UMOREN participated in a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Nigeria that conducted a series of scams against individuals and businesses located across the U.S. UMOREN facilitated the laundering of proceeds of the Enterprise’s investment, business email compromise, and romance scams. Members of the Enterprise used electronic messages sent via email, text messaging, or online dating websites to gain the trust of the victims, many of whom were vulnerable older men and women who lived alone, and caused the victims to transfer money to bank accounts controlled by members of the Enterprise. UMOREN received fraud proceeds from victims of the Enterprise in more than a dozen business bank accounts that he controlled in Georgia. The business bank accounts were opened in the names of companies formed by the defendant that were purportedly involved in, among other things, automobile sales and health care. From in or about 2016 through at least in or about December 2021, UMOREN controlled at least 15 bank accounts held in the name of shell companies he controlled that received deposits totaling over approximately $8 million. At least 17 individual and corporate victims lost money as part of UMOREN and his co-conspirators’ schemes. The victims include vulnerable, isolated, and elderly victims who entered into relationships after the deaths of their spouses and, over a period of several years, were induced to drain their entire retirement savings. Many victims experienced severe emotional harm, including a now-deceased man whose stress from losing his life savings to the schemes contributed to his suffering a stroke. * * * In addition to the prison term, UMOREN, 62, of Hoschton, Georgia, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. UMOREN was also ordered to forfeit a money judgment in the amount of $8,230,516.04 and was ordered to pay $1,246,072 in restitution. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service (“USSS”). Mr. Williams also thanked the USSS Field Office in Atlanta, Georgia, for its assistance in the investigation of this case. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juliana N. Murray is in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Lauren Scarff, Shelby Wratchford (212) 637-2600 Updated April 12, 2024 Topic Financial Fraud Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 24-130