At least 1 Nigerians are among 24 individuals recently arrested by US Federal agents for their involvement in a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation that targeted citizens, corporations, and financial institutions throughout the United States. They were arrested following their indictment in business email compromise schemes, romance fraud scams, and retirement account scams, among other frauds, duped numerous victims into losing more than $30 million.

“Fraud schemes, like the ones perpetrated and facilitated by these defendants, inflict considerable losses on citizens, companies, and the financial system,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Some of these schemes target the elderly and often deplete the victims’ entire life savings. These arrests affirm the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens.”

“No one deserves to have their hard-earned money stolen from them, so identifying and arresting these defendants makes everyone in the community safer,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Foreign nationals arrested in this scheme will be placed into removal proceedings upon completion of their criminal sentence.”

A recent report onjustice.gov/usao-ndgaquoted the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia, as listing the following suspects among those arraigned (highlighted names are those of Nigeians) for money laundering conspiracy:

Darius Sowah Okang, a/k/a Michael J. Casey, a/k/a Richard Resser, a/k/a Thomas Vaden, a/k/a Michael Lawson, a/k/a Matthew Reddington, a/k/a Michael Little, 29, of Stone Mountain, Georgia;

Dominique Raquel Golden, a/k/a Desire Tamakloe, a/k/a Mellissa Moore, a/k/a Nicole Nolay, a/k/a Raquel Roberts, a/k/a Maria Henderson, a/k/a Raquel Golden, 29, of Houston, Texas;

Blessing Oluwatimilehin Ojo, a/k/a “Timmy,” 34, of Nigeria;

George Kodjo Edem Adatsi, 36, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Desire Elorm Tamakloe, a/k/a “Chubby,” 25, of Smyrna, Georgia;

Solomon Agyapong, a/k/a “Gumpe,” 31, of Marietta, Georgia;

Afeez Olaide Adeniran, a/k/a “Ola,” 31, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Francesco Benjamin, a/k/a “B-More,” 30, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Jonathan Kojo Agbemafle, a/k/a “Skinny,” 26, of Kansas City, Missouri;

Joshua Roberts, a/k/a “Onyx,” 28, of Houston, Texas;

Hamza Abdallah, a/k/a Reggie Lewis, 30, of McDonough, Georgia;

Prince Sheriff Okai, 26, of Mableton, Georgia;

Kelvin Prince Boateng, 24, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Monique Wheeler, 29, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Matthan Bolaji Ibidapo, a/k/a “B.J.,” 27, of Colorado Springs, Colorado;

Stephen Abbu Jenkins, a/k/a “Face,” a/k/a Steven Abbu Jenkins, Steven Jenkins, Steve Jenkins, 53, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Kahlia Andrea Siddiqui, 28, of Chamblee, Georgia;

Alexus Ciera Johnson, 26, of Mableton, Georgia;

Abubakar Sadik Ibrahim, 26, of Mableton, Georgia;

Emanuela Joe Joseph, 34, of Lawrenceville, Georgia;

Obinna Nwosu, 26, of Douglasville, Georgia;

Ojebe Obewu Ojebe, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia;and

Gregory Thomas Hudson, 38, of Powder Springs, Georgia.

Darius Sowah Okang is also charged with one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.The indictment alleges that Okang created a bank account in a retirement scam victim’s name, which was then used to deposit approximately $288,000 in funds fraudulently withdrawn from the victim’s retirement account.

Afeez Olaide Adeniran and Blessing Ojo are also charged with wire fraud. The indictment alleges that Adeniran defrauded a homebuyer of $40,000 intended for a real estate transaction. The indictment alleges that due to a computer intrusion and false invoicing scam, Ojo caused a media company in California to send payments totaling $89,140 to a bank account controlled by one of the defendants. In total, the victim sent $646,840, as a result of the fraud.

In addition, two related cases charging additional defendants with various counts of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, and conspiracies to commit these offenses are currently pending in federal court in Atlanta. These defendants include:

Benjamin Ibukunoluwa Oye, 26, of Sandy Springs, Georgia;

Tyler Keon Roussell, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Christopher Akinwande Awonuga, 27, of Fayetteville, Georgia;

Casey Broderick Williams, 26, of Covington, Georgia;

Macario Lee Nelson, a/k/a “Mac,” 24, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Chadrick Jamal Rhodes, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Chadwick Osbourne Stewart, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Oumar Bouyo Mbodj, 28, of Kennesaw, Georgia;

Seth Appiah Kubi, 60, of Dacula, Georgia;

Ahamefule Aso Odus, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia;

Paul Chinonso Anyanwu, 27, of Hampton, Georgia;

Egale Veonzell Woods, Jr., 41, of East Point, Georgia;

Chineda Obilom Nwakadu, 25, of McDonough, Georgia;

Chukwukadibia Ikechukwu Nnadozie, a/k/a “Chuka,” a/k/a Michael McCord, 27, of Fayetteville, Georgia;

Uchechi Chidimma Odus, a/k/a “Uche,” 23, of Atlanta, Georgia;

John Ifeoluwa Onimole, 27, of Powder Springs, Georgia;and

Oluwafunmilade Onamuti, a/k/a Mathew Kelvin, 26, of Duluth, Georgia.