A Nigerian man, Isaiah Okere, has pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman to charges related to his involvement in an international conspiracy that defrauded at least 15 victims through romance schemes, lottery scams, and business email compromise (BEC) schemes.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced that Okere pleaded guilty on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
“Isaiah Okere and his co-conspirators preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims, some of whom lost their entire life savings. Even though he operated his scams from halfway around the world, this Office’s global reach ensures he will be held accountable in the United States for his crimes,” Williams stated.
According to the information to which Okere pleaded guilty and other statements made in court:
From around 2015 until November 2019, Okere, along with co-conspirator Timy Hakim, collaborated with members of the “Black Axe” transnational criminal organization to execute fraudulent schemes that resulted in over a million dollars in losses for at least 15 victims and entities. Okere facilitated the laundering of proceeds from three types of fraud: a “Romance Scheme,” a “Lottery Scheme,” and a “BEC Fraud Scheme.”
In the Romance Scheme, a victim was led to believe they were in a romantic online relationship, allowing the perpetrator to build trust and solicit money.
In the Lottery Scheme, victims were falsely informed that they had won a cash prize but needed to make payments to access the funds.
In the BEC Fraud Scheme, participants impersonated a corporate founder to induce a Manhattan-based company to release funds under false pretenses.
Okere used accounts under fake identities to communicate directly with U.S. victims and controlled multiple foreign bank accounts in South Africa that received funds from these schemes.
At least 15 individual and corporate victims suffered financial losses due to the actions of Okere, Hakim, and their co-conspirators. Many of these victims were vulnerable and elderly individuals who, after losing their spouses, were manipulated into draining their retirement savings and taking loans from family and friends over several years. Some victims experienced severe emotional distress, including one woman who reported suicidal thoughts after losing her retirement funds.
Okere, 42, a citizen of Nigeria, was arrested in South Africa based on a provisional arrest warrant in December 2021 and was extradited on August 23, 2024. He pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
On September 27, 2023, co-defendant Timy Hakim was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $1,414,043 in restitution and forfeit $671,452.
The maximum potential sentences are set by Congress and are provided for informational purposes only; the actual sentencing will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the exceptional investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa, and the South African Police Service. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs also played a significant role in securing Okere’s extradition from South Africa.
The criminal case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Vladislav Vainberg leading the prosecution.