By Our Correspondent
National News – A Nigerian man, Charles Nnamdi Emesim, has been sentenced to 115 months in a United States prison over a long-running romance and internet fraud scheme that reportedly defrauded more than 23 victims of over $700,000.
The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier on Wednesday after American authorities concluded investigations into the decade-long financial scam.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 53-year-old Newark, New Jersey resident was convicted for conspiracy to commit money laundering connected to several online fraud operations, including romance scams, lottery fraud, inheritance scams, investment fraud, government impersonation schemes, and fake medical emergency requests.
Investigators disclosed that Emesim operated multiple bank accounts between 2013 and 2024 using his name and business identities, Chadon Export and Chadon Trucking.
Authorities explained that victims across the United States were deceived into transferring money through cashier’s cheques, bank wires, cash deposits, gift cards, and money transfers.
One elderly widow from Kentucky reportedly lost tens of thousands of dollars after she was manipulated into believing she was in a romantic relationship with a man identified as “Michael Oliver.”
Investigators further revealed that the victim later met a supposed customs agent called Samuel Rock at an airport in Lexington, Kentucky, where she handed over more cash and even bought him a computer tablet.
The court later determined that Emesim personally posed as the fake customs officer during the encounter.
The Justice Department said the suspect frequently moved stolen funds into accounts belonging to relatives, businesses, and associates in Nigeria.
FBI officials described the crimes as heartless acts that caused severe emotional and financial damage to victims.
Under U.S. federal law, Emesim is expected to serve at least 85 per cent of his prison sentence before becoming eligible for release.
After prison, he will remain under supervised monitoring for three years.
