Another Elder Fraudster Goes Down
Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata from Nigeria has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a transnational inheritance scam targeting elderly Americans. Photo source: Facebook.
The fraud scheme lasted years and involved conspirators sending personalized letters through the mail purporting to represent a Spanish bank, according to a Justice Department press release. The letters targeted Americans, especially the elderly, telling them that overseas relatives had died, leaving them inheritances.
Delivery Fees and Other Charges
The scammers convinced victims to send payments for so-called delivery taxes, fees and other charges so the inheritance could be “released” to them.
Authorities claim that Ogbata, with his network of associates, used U.S.-based accomplices to collect and transfer money.
Official Statements
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida pointed out in the Justice Department statement that U.S. law enforcement can and will pursue criminals located overseas who target Americans.
“The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” Lapointe said. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”
Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of HSI Arizona highlighted how these fraud schemes most often target the elderly and other vulnerable people.
“Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” Burrola said.
Authorities also called on people who know someone older than 60 who was a victim of financial fraud to contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This hotline service is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, with English, Spanish and other languages available to those in need.
Similar Cases
Elder fraud started to skyrocket in the post-pandemic era, with fraudsters managing to retrieve more than $5 billion between 2020 and 2023, as previously reported in The Daily Muck.
In some of the most recent cases, Brett Barber, 45, of Costa Mesa, California, was sentenced for running a scheme that targeted elderly people.
Back in October 2024, a Jamaican man was sentenced after a disturbing case in which he robbed his victims of more than $700,000.
You can check out these and other stories at The Daily Muck.
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