Nigerian US Resident Jailed 87 Months Over $1.7 Million Fraud Money Laundering Scheme

Posted by Chinenye on Thu 06th Aug, 2026 - tori.ng

A Nigerian citizen living in the United States has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after being linked to a major fraud operation involving millions of dollars.

(Investigators. Photo Credit: Vanguard News)

A Nigerian citizen and United States permanent resident has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for his involvement in a money laundering operation encompassing approximately $1.7 million in fraud proceeds.

Adedayo Fateru was among four individuals sentenced in connection with the scheme, which involved coordinated fraud activities including business email compromises, modified check schemes, fraudulent electronic fund transfers, false applications for pandemic-related economic injury disaster loans and fraudulent unemployment benefit claims.

Federal authorities, including the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service, investigated the group's money laundering operation.

According to court documents, one defendant recruited two other co-conspirators to work alongside Fateru, with the group directing these individuals on opening bank accounts and transferring fraud proceeds.

Fateru and the recruiting defendant collected portions of money withdrawn by the other co-conspirators.

One defendant opened ten bank accounts that received approximately $1.04 million in fraud proceeds and subsequently withdrew approximately $187,375 through hundreds of smaller transactions including automated teller machine withdrawals and debit card cash advances, designed to move and conceal the money.

A second defendant opened multiple bank accounts receiving approximately $704,320 in fraud proceeds from various schemes and withdrew or transferred approximately $390,352 through more than 150 transactions intended to move and obscure the funds.

Fateru received a sentence of 87 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.

Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be transferred to immigration custody for removal proceedings under United States immigration law.

The recruiting defendant received 45 months imprisonment and three years supervised release.

The second defendant received 33 months imprisonment and two years supervised release, whilst the third defendant was sentenced to 25 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release.