Okezie Ogbata, a 36-year-old Nigerian national, has pleaded guilty in a Florida district court to orchestrating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 400 elderly and vulnerable Americans of over $6 million. The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Ogbata and his accomplices sent fraudulent letters posing as representatives of a Spanish bank, falsely claiming that recipients were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives abroad.

The letters instructed victims to send money for purported fees, taxes, and other payments, warning them that failure to comply could lead to government scrutiny. Many of the victims, primarily elderly individuals, were deceived into sending funds under the false pretense of securing their supposed inheritances.

Ogbata entered his guilty plea on January 15, acknowledging his role in the scheme, which specifically preyed on vulnerable populations. “This case highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational crime,” said Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

Ogbata is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Roy Altman. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for his involvement in the fraudulent operation.