US Court Jails Nigerian Man For $7.8m Lottery Fraud

A Nigerian, Adedayo Akinwunmi Agbayewa has been sentenced to prison by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.

The 45-year-old resident of College Park in Georgia will spend five years behind bars for an international fraud scheme.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced the convict was ordered to pay $7,784,415 in restitution for mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy.

The Nigerian and his co‑conspirators were involved in a lottery or sweepstakes telemarketing enterprise that hoodwinked elderly victims.

Using pseudonyms, they informed their targets by mail or telephone that they had won sweepstakes or lottery and must first pay taxes or fees.

The victims mailed checks or deposited money into bank accounts provided by the individuals but never received any prize money.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case, the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and IRS‑Criminal Investigation.

The U.S. Department of Justice, through the Elder Justice Initiative, works to combat elder abuse, neglect, as well as financial fraud, and scams.