How a Nigerian Defrauded Over 400 US Elderly Victims Through Inheritance Scam

A Nigerian man, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 400 elderly and vulnerable individuals across the United States of over $6 million.

The 41-year-old suspect entered a guilty plea on June 17 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He now faces up to 20 years in prison.

According to court documents, Akhimie was part of a sophisticated fraud ring that operated for several years, sending personalised letters to elderly Americans. The letters, falsely claiming to be from a Spanish bank, informed recipients that they were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from long-lost relatives.

To access the supposed funds, the victims were instructed to pay various charges, including delivery fees, taxes, and clearance costs, all under the pretext of avoiding legal or governmental complications. Akhimie and his co-conspirators then collected the money through a complex network of U.S.-based associates who helped launder the funds.

None of the victims ever received any inheritance, and the promises were entirely fabricated. Akhimie’s guilty plea included an admission to participating in a scam that defrauded vulnerable people—many of them elderly—of life savings.

“This case reflects our continued commitment to pursuing international fraudsters who prey on the elderly and vulnerable,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

Akhimie’s case is the latest development in a wider investigation that has already resulted in multiple convictions. Seven other individuals from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Spain have previously been sentenced for their roles in the scam.

Among them, Ezennia Peter Neboh was sentenced to over 10 years in prison after his extradition from Spain in 2023, while Kennedy Ikponmwosa received over eight years. Other convicted conspirators include Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor, and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, all extradited from the UK, who were sentenced to between 82 and 90 months in prison.

More recently, in July 2024, Amos Prince Okey Ezemma was sentenced to 90 months after being paroled into the U.S. from Nigeria. And on April 25, 2025, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, received a 97-month prison sentence.

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and further arrests and prosecutions may follow as they work to dismantle the international fraud network.