Two US-Based Nigerians Sentenced to 15 Years for $2.4m Fraud Scheme

 Two Nigerians based in the United States have been sentenced to a combined 189 months in federal prison for their roles in an international cyber-intrusion scheme that defrauded businesses of more than $2.4 million.

 Chijioke Timothy Odimegwu and Harafat Mogaji, both former US Air Force members and residents of Delaware, were sentenced on September 25, 2026, after being convicted for their involvement in the scheme.

 According to US prosecutors, the pair and their co-conspirators targeted businesses through email-spamming and phishing campaigns, stealing employee usernames and passwords and using spoofed email addresses to redirect business payments to accounts controlled by the conspiracy.

 More than $1.68 million in wire transfers from an Iowa victim and over $720,000 from an Ohio victim were allegedly diverted as part of the scheme.

 Odimegwu received a 111-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $366,617.59 in restitution, while Mogaji was sentenced to 78 months and ordered to pay $995,680.45. Both men were taken into custody following sentencing and will serve three years of supervised release after completing their prison terms.