Nigerian national has pleaded guilty to running a transnational inheritance scam that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable individuals across the United States of more than $6 million.
Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, aged 41, admitted in a US court to his role in a fraud ring that spanned several years and operated through personalised letters sent to elderly Americans. These letters, falsely claiming to be from a Spanish bank representative, told recipients they had inherited millions from deceased relatives abroad. However, victims were asked to first pay a range of fraudulent “processing fees”, including taxes, delivery charges, and bribes to avoid supposed government scrutiny.
Akhimie and his accomplices used a network of former scam victims—now manipulated into serving as money mules—to funnel funds from new victims to the criminals. None of the victims ever received the fake inheritance promised to them.
In his guilty plea, Akhimie admitted that the scheme defrauded more than $6 million from over 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or especially vulnerable.
Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice’s Civil Division, stated that the case highlights the importance of international cooperation in tackling transnational crime. He expressed gratitude to the UK’s National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service for their support.
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Bladismir Rojo, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge at the US Postal Inspection Service, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Americans from foreign fraud rings, while Ray Rede of Homeland Security Investigations warned that those exploiting vulnerable people for personal gain will face justice.
Akhimie pleaded guilty on 17 June to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and now faces up to 20 years in prison.
This marks the second major indictment connected to this widespread fraud scheme. Seven co-conspirators from the UK, Spain, and Nigeria have already been convicted and sentenced:
Ezennia Peter Neboh – 128 months (extradited from Spain)
Kennedy Ikponmwosa – 97 months (extradited from Spain)
Emmanuel Samuel – 82 months (extradited from UK)
Jerry Chucks Ozor – 87 months (extradited from UK)
Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham – 90 months (extradited from UK)
Amos Prince Okey Ezemma – 90 months (paroled from Nigeria)
Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata – 97 months (extradited from Portugal)
The case was investigated by the US Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Consumer Protection Branch of the US Department of Justice. Support came from the US Department of State, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and law enforcement agencies in the UK, Spain, and Portugal.
