For $1.89m In Mail And Wire Fraud, US Court Jails Azaman (SEE PHOTOS)

A federal choose in Pennsylvania has sentenced a Nigerian man, Jabin Godspower Okpako, to greater than seven years in jail for conspiring to launder roughly $1.89 million in mail and wire fraud proceeds in a scheme that focused ladies.

 

The USA Lawyer’s Workplace for the Center District of Pennsylvania introduced  that Okpako, 36, was sentenced on November 23, 2021, by U.S. District Courtroom Chief Choose Matthew W. Brann.

 

In line with United States Lawyer John C. Gurganus, Jabin Okpako and his wife, codefendant Christine Bradley Okpako, age 54, of Sayre, Pennsylvania, acquired roughly $1,898,046 million in proceeds from a mail and wire fraud scheme, laundered the funds by way of quite a few financial institution and wire transactions in a number of states, and transferred the funds out of america to a few separate financial institution accounts in Nigeria.

 

 

The mail and wire fraud scheme sought to defraud a number of feminine victims all through america, ranging in age from 55 to 85.

 

The victims had visited on-line recreation, relationship and courting internet sites, together with Instagram, Fb, Phrases with Associates, and What’s App.

 

The conspirators, positioned in america and West Africa, befriended the victims by way of interplay and exchanges of photographs on the internet websites by way of textual content and prompt messaging.

 

After cultivating on-line relationships with the victims, the conspirators fraudulently induced the victims to ship and transmit funds for numerous fictitious causes and functions, together with to help a employee in Alaska who fell from a tower, to buy an condominium in Washington, D.C., to help the United Nations, to restore equipment and gear on an oil drilling rig, to pay for drugs, to recuperate a $6 million inheritance, and to make an funding in gold.

 

After fraudulently inducing the victims to supply funds for these fictitious causes, the unindicted conspirators instructed the victims to transmit checks and money to Okpako and Bradley at their residence in Sayre, Pennsylvania.

 

In sentencing Okpako, Chief Choose Brann said that Okpako and his wife continued to switch fraud proceeds to Nigeria even after quite a few banks closed their accounts primarily based on the suspicious and irregular nature of the transactions.

 

Chief Choose Brann additionally famous that Okpako and his wife continued to conduct cash laundering transfers regardless of receiving a warning letter from the FBI regarding their actions.

 

Chief Choose Brann ordered Okpako to make restitution within the quantity of $440,950 to victims and forfeit proceeds of the felony exercise.

 

 

Christin Bradley Okpako plead responsible on March 31, 2021, to conspiracy to commit cash laundering by way of mail and wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing.

 

 

The case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Lawyer George J. Rocktashel prosecuted the case.

 

Wire Fraud

Wire Fraud

Wire Fraud

Wire Fraud