Posted by Chinenye on Thu 24th Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
A Nigerian man known as The Black Mentor has been sentenced to four years in a US prison for cheating investors out of more than $2.7 million.
(Joseph James Nantomah. Photo Credit: Wikipedia)
A Nigerian man, Joseph James Nantomah, 49, known as The Black Mentor, has been sentenced to four years in prison in the United States for an investment fraud scheme that cost investors more than $2.7 million.
Nantomah came to the US from Nigeria on a visitor's visa in 2016 and created a false online identity claiming he had built a multimillion dollar real estate business.
He held Wealth Flow conferences and classes where he presented himself as an expert in building wealth in America and pushed attendees to invest in his supposed real estate deals.
Between May 2020 and December 2024, he defrauded at least 39 victims of $2,762,798.37.
Prosecutors said he primarily targeted Nigerian immigrants and church members, using their shared cultural background and belief in the American Dream to win their trust.
Although he promised big returns from real estate investments, he had no real business and instead spent victims' money on private jets, luxury cars, expensive jewellery, a yacht and other extravagant spending.
He also used the money to build his online image, buying honorary doctorate degrees for himself and his wife and paying celebrities to go to his conferences.
At sentencing, a judge said the scheme went on a long time, caused big loss and dramatically hit the lives of many victims.
Nantomah was also ordered to pay $2,762,798.37 back to those he hurt and will serve three years of watched release after prison.
U.S. officials said the victims were mostly working class immigrants who suffered major money damage.
A federal official said fraud like this runs on trust and that Nantomah sold his victims the promise of chance, then used their hard earned money to pay for his own life and keep his scheme going.