A Nigerian national, Charles Nnamdi Emesim has been sentenced in the United States to 115 months in prison for his role in a long-running internet romance and financial fraud scheme that defrauded dozens of victims.
The sentence was delivered on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, according to a statement released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Authorities said Emesim, 53, who is a legal resident of Newark, New Jersey, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering linked to multiple online scams, including romance, lottery, inheritance, investment, and impersonation fraud.
Investigations revealed that between December 2013 and June 2024, he operated at least 17 bank accounts under his own name and associated business entities, through which he allegedly processed illicit funds.
Officials stated that at least 23 victims across the United States were defrauded of more than $700,000, with funds transferred through bank deposits, wire transfers, cashier’s checks, and prepaid cards.
One of the victims, an elderly widow, was reportedly manipulated through a romance scam involving a fake identity and later persuaded to meet a supposed customs agent who was also part of the scheme.
Authorities further alleged that Emesim personally impersonated the customs agent during an in-person encounter with the victim, who ended up losing tens of thousands of dollars.
U.S. prosecutors described the scheme as a prolonged pattern of emotional manipulation and financial exploitation targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly victims.
Law enforcement officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, confirmed that Emesim repeatedly moved stolen funds through relatives and business accounts, some of which were linked to Nigeria.
Prosecutors said his actions caused severe emotional and financial harm to victims, describing the scheme as deliberate and predatory in nature.
The court noted that the offenses were “reprehensible” and imposed a sentence requiring Emesim to serve most of his prison term before supervised release.
Authorities confirmed that the investigation was led by the FBI, with prosecution handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
