77 Nigerian nationals have been charged with a 252-count federal grand jury indictment on Thursday.
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released their identities including their nicknames as suspects in the ongoing investigation related to fraud cases.
The development comes after Forbes-rated young Nigerian billionaire and CEO of Invictus Group, Obinwanne Okeke, Invictus, better known as Invictus Obi, was arrested after he was allegedly linked to a fraud case in the US.
The 77 suspects participated in a massive conspiracy to steal millions of dollars through a variety of fraud schemes and launder the funds through a Los Angeles-based money laundering network.
The lead suspects in the case are Valentine Iro, 31, of Carson, and Chukwudi Christogunus Igbokwe, 38, of Gardena, both Nigerian citizens, who were being contacted for bank and money-service accounts that could receive funds fraudulently obtained from victims.
According to TheCable on Thursday, US attorney, Nick Hanna, said the fraud cases involved suspects colluding with federal and state agents to dupe unsuspecting victims of their money.
The US Attorney added that some of the victims were targeted specifically because they were elderly or vulnerable.
Hanna also revealed that a total of 80 suspects “many of whom are from Nigeria” would be charged to court with 57 more being hunted globally.
In his words,
“FBI agents along with federal and state law enforcement authorities arrested a total of 14 defendants in the US, all named in a sweeping fraud and money laundering case.
“Those arrested today are among 80 defendants charged in a federal grand jury indictment that alleges that millions of dollars were taken from victims through a variety of scams and online frauds.
“We believe this is one of the largest cases of its kind in US history. BEC scam is used to hack email accounts to convince businesses or individuals to make payments that are either completely bogus or that should have been otherwise paid to legitimate companies.
“Indictments showed very specific allegations against this suspects many of whom are based in Nigeria in terms of stealing money from victims. The indictment also focuses on those responsible for enabling these fraud schemes including operatives in Los Angeles.”
The attorney said among those arrested were 14 federal agents, with 11 of them coming from Los Angeles where most of the crimes were reportedly committed.
“Some of the operatives facilitated the fraud schemes by opening the bank accounts where victims were directed to deposit their money. Then, these Los Angeles-based defendants laundered the stolen funds, delivering them to the scammers in Nigeria,” he said.
“The FBI agents involved in this investigation tracked down these scammers from around the world; they identified dozens of victims from the US and from around the globe.
“These money launderers had access to numerous bank accounts some of which have been opened…the money exchangers sent millions of dollars to Nigeria simply by using smartphone banking applications by Nigerian banks.”
See their names and nicknames below:
1. VALENTINE IRO, aka “Iro Enterprises,” aka “Valentine Obinna Iro ,” aka ” Obinna Iro ,” 16 aka ” Obinna Nassa,”
2. CHUKWUDI CHRI STOGUNUS IGBOKWE, aka ” Christogunus C. Igbokwe,” aka ” Chris Kudon ,” aka “Atete ,” aka “Still Kudon ,”
3. JERRY ELO IKOGHO , aka “J Man,”
4. IZUCHUKWU KINGSLEY UMEJESI, aka ” Kingsley Umejesi, ” aka “Armeni an Man,” aka “Kingsley LA,” aka “I zuking Aka Aku ,”
5. ADEGOKE MOSES OGUNGBE , aka “P & P Motors,” aka “Pp, ”
6. ALBERT LEWIS CATHEY, aka “Alb, ” aka “Abert Jag,” aka “Al,”
7. TITYAYE MARINA MANSBANGURA, aka “Tityaye Igbokwe ,” aka “Marina Mansour,” aka “Marina Mansaray,” aka “Marina Tityaye Mans Bangura,”
8. CHUKWUDI COLLINS AJAEZE, aka “Thank You Jesus”
9. EKENE AUGUSTINE EKECHUKWU, aka “Ogedi Power,” aka “Power,”
10. CHUKS EROHA, aka “Chuks Nassa Iro,” aka “Nassa,” aka “Prince Chuddy,” aka “Nurse Chuddy,”
11. COLLINS NNAEMEKA OJIMBA, aka “Collins Emeka Ojimba,” aka “Ojimba Collins,” aka “Charly.Africa,”
12. FNU LNU, aka “Xplora G,”
13. UCHENNA OCHIAGHA, aka “Urch Agu,” aka “Advanced Mega Plus Ltd,”
14. NNAMDI THEOJOSEPH DURU, aka “Duru Theo Joseph Nnamdi,” aka “Williams High School,” aka “Ifytyns,”
15. ERICSON UCHE OFORKA, aka “Oforka,” aka “Eric Oforka,”
16. MARK IFEANYI CHUKWUOCHA, aka “Mark Iheanyi Chukwuocha,” aka “Chukwu Mark,” aka “Markife,”
17. AUGUSTINE NNAMDI, aka “Nnamdi Augustine,” aka “Jazz,”
18. CHIEMEZIE CHRISTOPHER CHILAKA, aka “Fanta,”
19. CHARLES OHAJIMKPO, aka “Giggs,” aka “Ryan Giggs,” aka “Charles,”
20. STANLEY UGOCHUKWU UCHE, aka “Ugo Law,” aka “Uche Stanley,” aka “He is risen.Happy Easter!,”
21. CHIKA AUGUSTINE ODIONYENMA, aka “Tony Augustin Odionyenma,” aka “Chika Tony,” aka “CTA Finance Source Intl,”
22. PASCHAL CHIMA OGBONNA, aka “Chima,” aka “Paschal,”
23. SAMUEL NNAMDI ONWUASOANYA, aka “Sammy Lee Nnamdi,” aka “Onwuasoanya Samuel Nnamdi,” aka “Enugu Ogo,”
24. MACWILLIAM CHINONSO CHUKWUOCHA, aka “ChiBoy,”
25. EMMANUEL ONYEKA UZOKA, aka “Emmanuel Mansion,” aka “Mansion,” aka “Son of God,” aka “Ezirim Uzoma,”
26. JOSHUA ANIEFIOK AWAK, aka “Joe Awk,” aka “Kwee Tin Law,”
27. GEORGE UGOCHUKWU EGWUMBA, aka “George Ugo,” aka “Ugo Aunty Scholar,”
28. UCHECHUKWU SOLOMON EZIRIM, aka “Uche Nwanne,” aka “Uche Ezirim,”
29. AUGUSTINE IFEANYI OKAFOR, aka “Zero,” aka “St.Austine,” aka “Austine,” aka “Ifeanyichukwu Okafor,”
30. FNU LNU, aka “Okay Sam Mal,” LESLIE N. MBA, aka “Mystical,” aka “Nwachinemere Leslie,”
31. OGOCHUKWU INNOCENT IKEWESI, aka “Ogoo UK,” aka “Innocent Ikewesi,”
32. EMMANUEL UZOMA OGANDU, aka “Nwachinaemere,” aka “Uzoma,”
33. AMARACHUKWU HARLEY ANYANWU, aka “GodisGod,” aka “War B,”
34. BRIGHT IFEANYI AZUBUIKE, aka “Bright Bauer Azubuike,” aka “Ifeanyi Jnr,”
35. EMEKA MOSES NWACHUKWU, aka “All Man,” aka “Omalitoto,” FNU LNU, aka “Donatus Izunwanne,” aka “Izunwanne Donatus Chibuikem,” aka “Deworlddonmax,”
36. CHINWENDU KENNETH OSUJI, aka “Father,”
37. EUSEBIUS UGOCHUKWU ONYEKA, aka “Ugo UK,” aka “sly19 sly,”
38. CHIDI ANUNOBI, aka “Anunobi Chidi,” aka “Chidioo,”
39. ANTHONY NWABUNWANNE OKOLO, aka “Eric West,” aka “Erci West,” aka “Code,”
40. OBINNA CHRISTIAN ONUWA, aka “Papa Chukwuezugo,” aka “Obinna Onuwa Abala,” aka “Obyno Abala,”
41. CHIJIOKE CHUKWUMA ISAMADE, aka “Mr CJ,” aka “CJ,”
42. LINUS NNAMDI MADUFOR, aka “Madufor Nnamdi,”
43. CHRYSAUGONUS NNEBEDUM, aka “Cris,”
44. UGOCHUKWU OKEREKE, aka “Blade,” aka “Kingsly Cris,” aka “Okereke Ugochukwu,”
45. FIDEL LEON ODIMARA, aka “Fiedel Odimara,” aka “Ndaa,” aka “Dee Dutchman,”
46. KINGSLEY CHINEDU ONUDOROGU, aka “OBJ,”
47. DESSI NZENWAH, aka “Desmond Sage,” aka “Des Nzenwa,” aka “Saga Lounge,”
48. CHIMAROKE OBASI, aka “Chima Russia”
49. JAMES CHIGOZIE AGUBE, aka “Smart,” aka “Smart Agube,” aka “Smart Chigozie Agube”
50. CHIMAOBI UZOZIE OKORIE, aka “Omaobi,” aka “Mobility,”
51. OGOCHUKWU OHIRI, aka “Ogomegbulam Ohiri,” aka “Ologbo,”
52. KENNEDY CHIBUEZE UGWU, aka “Kennedy David,”
53. IFEANYICHUKWU OLUWADAMILARE AGWUEGBO, aka “B😎😎$$ IFF¥,”
54. VICTOR IFEANYI CHUKWU, aka “Ifeannyi Soccer,” aka “Vic Chux,”
55. CHIDI EMMANUEL MEGWA, aka “Cantr,” aka “Canta Jr.,”
56. PRINCEWILL ARINZE DURU, aka “Arnzi Prince Will,” aka “Arinze,”
57. DESMOND IWU, aka “Desmond Chigozie Iwu,” aka “Lalaw,” aka “Odo Desmond,”
58. ONYEKA VINCENT CHIKA, aka “Chyco,” aka “Chika Ejima,” aka “Vincent Chika Onyeka,”
59. IFEANYI KINGSLEY MEZIENWA, aka “Ifeanyi Ali,” aka “Ifeanyichukwu Mezienwa,”
60. VICTOR UCHENNA AGUH, aka “Orch Sod,” aka “Uche SP,” aka “Rich Homie Urch,”
61. KEVIN AMARACHI ESHIMBU, aka “Humble,” aka “Humble Amarachukwu,” aka “Dato Humble,”
62. VITALIS KELECHI ANOZIE, aka “Kelechi Vitalis Anozie,” aka “Kelechi Anozieh,” aka “Pastor Kel Anozie,” aka “Pastor Kc,” aka “Choice,”
63. WILLIAMS OBIORA AGUNWA, aka “Don Williams,”
64. GEORGE CHIMEZIE DIKE, aka “Chimekros,” aka “Slim Dad…No…1,”
65. MUNACHISO KYRIAN UKACHUKWU, aka “Muna,”
66. NWANNEBUIKE OSMUND, aka “Osmund Nwannebuike,” aka “Olivite,” aka “Nikky Bro.,”
67. CHIDIEBERE FRANKLIN NWANGWU, aka “Frank Chidi,” aka “Franklin Nwangwu,” aka
“Agogo,”
68. DAMIAN UCHECHUKWU AJAH, aka “Uche Ajah,” aka “Ajah Damian Uchechukwu,” aka “Uchechukwu Demian Ajah,”
69. EMEKA P. EJIOFOR, aka “Ejiofor Emeka,”
70. LAWRENCE CHUKWUMA UBASINEKE, aka “Ubasineke Chuks,” aka “Chukwuma Ubasineke,”
71. CHINEDU BRIGHT IBETO, aka “Doggy,” aka “Doggy Lucino,”
72. VALENTINE AMARACHI NWANEGWO, aka “Satis,” aka “Satis Amarachi Satis,”
73. EMMANUEL CHIDIEBERE DIKE, aka “Emmanet,”
74. JEREMIAH UTIEYIN EKI, aka “Uti,” CHINAKA DAVIDSON IWUOHA, aka “Tmrw Afrika Will Wake Up,” aka “Cookie,” aka “All Africa Media Network,”
75. CHIMA DARLINGTON DURU, aka “Kajad,” aka “Kajad Jesus,”
76. IKENNA CHRISTIAN IHEJIUREME, aka “Piper,” aka “Am Happy!,”
77. OBI ONYEDIKA MADEKWE, aka “Odu Investment,”
