Ayobami Omoniyi US fraud: Nigerian sentenced to 32 months in prison and ordered to pay $202,273 restitution for wire fraud and money laundering

Nigerian national Ayobami Omoniyi, 26, has been sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar wire fraud and money laundering scheme in the United States.

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Omoniyi, who held a U.S. Green Card, was convicted for laundering fraud proceeds through an unlicensed money transmitting operation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen.

Court records show that Omoniyi pleaded guilty on 19 August 2024 and was ordered to pay restitution of $202,273.80 to victims.

Following completion of his prison term, he is expected to be deported from the United States.

Prosecutors revealed that Omoniyi had been involved in fraudulent activities since arriving in the U.S., acting as a recruiter within a wider network.

Investigations showed that in 2021, he and accomplices operated an unlicensed money transmitting business to receive and transfer funds obtained through business email compromise scams.

One identified victim was an Australian fishing company.

The scheme involved sending spoofed emails designed to appear as legitimate business communications, deceiving victims into transferring funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.

Omoniyi admitted, as part of his plea agreement, to moving illicit funds through multiple bank accounts and facilitating transfers to other members of the network in exchange for a commission.

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The sentencing highlights ongoing international efforts by U.S. authorities to crack down on transnational cybercrime and protect victims of wire fraud and financial scams.