Mr Okeke, 32, admitted to American prosecutors that he was involved in computer-based fraud between 2015 and 2019.
Joshua Stueve, a spokesperson for the United States District Court for Eastern District of Virginia, told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday evening that Mr Okeke could spend 20 years maximum penalty in an American jail.
He would be sentenced on October 22, Mr Stueve said.
“A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors,” the court official said.
Robert Krask, an American judge of the district, certified the guilty plea on Thursday morning to clear the paths for Mr Okeke’s sentencing.
Mr Okeke and other alleged conspirators said to still be at large were accused of targeting American businesses in a probe led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Unatrac, a subsidiary of heavy equipment giant Caterpillar, was amongst the companies said to have been targeted by the cartel in a business email compromise scheme for several years. Over $11 million was said to have been traced to the ring, amidst claims that Mr Okeke allegedly used proceeds of his illicit dealings to build a business empire in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria.
Mr Okeke was arrested in August 2019 as he was about leaving the United States for Nigeria. He was held in jail for several months.
He initially pleaded not guilty and was remanded by different district court judges. He later backed down and admitted to his involvement in the fraud scheme.
Good riddance to bad rubbish!
ReplyDeleteObinwanne so, you really committed fraud??? Shocking!!!
DeleteYour dad would be turning in his grave. ☹️😖
He's such a retarded fraudster
ReplyDeleteRetarded fraudster from Onitcha main market
DeleteAnon 10:56,That main market guy was always in suit, has executive presence & speak way better than most educated loud mouthed agbero's in your village..
Deleteguess anonymous 11:40 is a Yahoo somebody. ntor! e pain u no be small
DeleteOnitch main market bite you? Anonymous person.
DeleteChai!! I wonder how his wife will manage now.
ReplyDeleteTwenty years is a long time o.
He will never indulge in any crime when he gets released.
He won't stay up to any 20years!!
DeleteFor him to lead guilty, he was offered a deal of lesser sentence if he agrees to snitch and he must have agreed!!!
Anyone that did business with him should stay off the radar, they are all in trouble
To plead guilty here, you must have been given a deal. This man may not even serve up to 5 years.
Delete20 what in jail now? 😳
ReplyDeleteI just pity d wife. I know ppl will say she chopped from d money bla bla but truth is many women dont know today d full truth of what dere hubby does. Especially if hes educated like Obi and actually has a legitimate job alongside. Some women can be very naive n mumu. Just say my hubby is into properties,into business. Dey dont really know
ReplyDeletePls my personal opinion o. If u object do it like a cultured humanbeing with sense. Thanx
I am a cultured human being, with better sense but l need to ask a question. What was his legitimate job because l didn’t know he had one.
Delete10;08 Google him. No be lie,but would they really be called mumu? Some see there husband's structure (office) ,he wakes up everyday and heads to work,do contracts with Govt officials but underground something else is cooking. If some women can b married to serial cheats with baby mamas and not know ,then this one go easy to hide too.some r just Naive
DeleteSome are even ' touch not my anointed' but are notorious launderers for politicians!
Delete.....quick question please, is 20 years too minimal or too much?🤔
ReplyDeleteI think it’s okay. I hate extremely long sentences fir white collar crimes. I shudder when l see Judges, sentence people to 60 years. The person is like 55 years already. Are they Methuselah??
DeleteAs he has pleases guilty, he won't spend up to 20 years anything!!
DeleteCookie I think you are mixing Nigeria jail calendars with the western calendar. If they say 20years,20 years it is except he files for appeal to shorten his sentence.
Delete10:11🤣🤣🤣
No darling, I know exactly what I am saying!!
DeleteAll he needs to do as he has pleaded guilty is to snitch and he'll be out in maybe 5 years!!!
For him to plead guilty, he was definitely offered a deal of lesser sentence and doesn't want to go to trial
5yrs Max minus d detention months. Infact 4yrs with good behavior
DeleteLong sentences fit the Bernie Madoff of this world
Delete419 equals to 25 years and above with hard labour
It will shock you that he will get more than the 4-5 years that you have said here. We are watching, na later this year dem go sentence am, that is when we will know the verdict.
DeleteSorry this guy! Is better to stay 100 years in Nigerian prison than spending few years in the US prison. Y’all should forget what you watch in those movies, fellow inmates will rape him asin burst anal, some of them that family members has lost some money through fraud will attack him too. N*** you will sleep on a spring bed
ReplyDeleteNigerians are mostly kept where terrorist and 💀 deadly guys are kept!
That's not true Sir!!!
DeleteThat is true cookie!! If he lucky to find favor in the hands of one of the cabal in prison then good for him! If not,so help him God. I don’t know about the rape part because it’s not rampant but trust me he wouldn’t find it easy.
DeleteHe will sort his way out. One time i went with my organisation for prison awareness at one of the prisons in lagos, you need to see these 419 guys where they live inside the prison, far better than where the hardened criminals live. They pay their way tru.
DeleteKing Jerry this thing u said ehen🤣. I used to say am not homophobic o, love is love, this that, allow Bobyrisky and co be. Until I watched d last episode of OVAl, I was just screaming on d seat. What is THIS! Haaaa kissing, moaning ,smooching, Men? Gosh. Please Love is not love dey shd keep that nonsense on the low and stop d display. Disgusting
Delete@11:14 sort his way out in American prison system? Good luck with that.
DeletePicture, that is not true Ma🤣🤣🤣🤣
DeleteY'all think it's only Nigeria that's corrupt?? Yes, he can sort his way through, he has money Nah!!! He will be in prison and be communicating constantly with those outside..... He should just be of good behavior and he will be out in no time!!
DeleteCorruption is everywhere dears😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Ps: I DO NOT SUPPORT WHAT HE DID, HE SHOULD DO THE TIME
This is really sad, I feel really saddened by this news
ReplyDeleteReally sad? Are you well at all? Do you know how many lives and careers that have been destroyed by this useless and fraudulent young man? Let hime rot in jail, for all I care. 20 years is too small, in my estimation. Countries (employers and universities) have started denying Nigerians opportunities for employment and post graduate studies because of these nincompoops.
DeleteReally sad? Are you well at all? Do you know how many lives and careers that have been destroyed by this useless and fraudulent young man? Let hime rot in jail, for all I care. 20 years is too small, in my estimation. Countries (employers and universities) have started denying Nigerians opportunities for employment and post graduate studies because of these nincompoops.
DeleteI am well abeg🙄
DeleteAnyways, I looked him up and was displeased with my findings. And truly, Nigerians are being denied opportunities abroad because of all these fraudulent reports. Sad
Chai,well prison here you come.
ReplyDeleteFake life. Life of fraud is a no no.
ReplyDeleteSorry bro
See life! Afi Forbes celebrated naa.
ReplyDeleteHonest hustle pays though it might take time to hammer, they won't listen. They always want a quick fix that will lead to doom. Smh.
Exactly to think Forbes celebrated him! Shame on that useless Forbes.
DeleteThe white dude knew no way they could monitor this guy’s lifestyle so they set up Instagrams and the rest.
ReplyDeleteMr show off continue
,🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣u may b right o. 9;57
DeleteI do not encourage fraud.Some fraudsters live a quiet life, but the ones who show off are being arrested left , right and center.
ReplyDeleteA Good name will always be better than..... This will never be forgotten so easily.
ReplyDeleteCrime does not and will never pay.
ReplyDeleteA young man that should have done the needful with his life,will now languish in jail because he took the wrong path. I hope he reflects over what he has done and maybe one day he would achieve all he desires in this life.
ReplyDeleteMy utmost respect goes to every hard working person that is being looked down by the society. Always remember that the society does not define who you are. There was a story of a man in Kaduna who sells ice cream to youngsters and also does giveaways to those that don't have. He was one day approached by a young man who happened to be a beneficiary of his benevolence. The young man was surprised that the old man was still selling ice creams and giving giveaways just like yesteryears.
He listened to the man's story and decided to write him a cheque of 3 million so that he could get a better place for his family. The old man was perplexed at the young man's kind gesture and told him he has wasn't expecting anything from been kind to children.
This goes to show that hard work does really pay. There are so many testimonies out there, that one can learn from. I would rather hawk pure water than deep my pocket in another man's wallet.
Crime does not pay, work hard and earn a decent living.
ReplyDeleteA young man that should have done the needful with his life,will now languish in jail because he took the wrong path. I hope he reflects over what he has done and maybe one day he would achieve all he desires in this life.
ReplyDeleteMy utmost respect goes to every hard working person that is being looked down by the society. Always remember that the society does not define who you are. There was a story of a man in Kaduna who sells ice cream to youngsters and also does giveaways to those that don't have. He was one day approached by a young man who happened to be a beneficiary of his benevolence. The young man was surprised that the old man was still selling ice creams and giving giveaways just like yesteryears.
He listened to the man's story and decided to write him a cheque of 3 million so that he could get a better place for his family. The old man was perplexed at the young man's kind gesture and told him he has wasn't expecting anything from been kind to children.
This goes to show that hard work does really pay. There are so many testimonies out there, that one can learn from. I would rather hawk pure water than deep my pocket in another man's wallet.
All these ladies up there chanting "retarded fraudster, crime does not pay..."
ReplyDeleteWere you not among all that were celebrating this "billionaire" in Nigeria,
are there not plenty like him that you hail and sneak into their social media pages
everyday and tap your tapping?
Is it because this one was caught?
Cut out the pretenses. 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
I think most people celebrated him as at then because They thought Forbes was trustworthy but now they know better.
DeleteForbes reputation is in tatters
DeleteOh please. You should not say that to the ladies. The man was celebrated by Forbes, the man does Tedx talks frequently. He has a financial office and talks about his business. Forbes also talked about his business. Remember some people can disguise do much you won't really know the source of their wealth. He also was not acting flashy like the likes of Hushpuppi. How could they have known that he was into fraud?
DeleteDon't judge the women. The celebrated him based on what they know. Now that they know he is a fraudster, do you want them to keep hailing him? There is no or pretense here.
Shuo! So if we see Forbes celebrated billionaire we sud not celebrate again?! Rejoice with those that rejoice is my life mantra. So that someday people can rejoice with me too. If someone is more successful, I look out for what I can learn from them. And if that successful person turns out to be a criminal, I condemn his/her actions. And guess what? I am a proud Naija Lady! So, pray, tell us what the color of your issue with ladies?
DeleteBut why in the first place should Nigerians celebrate people of unknown sources of their wealth?
DeleteThat Forbes celebrated him is not an excuse. Can you truthfully account for the sources of income that support
the lifestyles of the actresses, politicians and so many "wealthy Nigerians" you are celebrating?
Cut out the pretense and hypocrisy. An actress is ERECTING mansions, displaying cars that are sold for not less
than 50 million Naira and chanting "god is good", which god. And you are all celebrating; what for?
🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
He is just a thief. Simple.
ReplyDeleteMan
He really is just 32yrs old? If he had applied himself and be patient he probably would have still become a billionaire later in life. What a disgrace to his family.
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not see the point of scamming. You cannot eat or rest in peace, always having to look behind your back making sure your tracks are covered. That shit sounds stressful af. Then when the jig is up none of the ppl you used to consider your friends look in your direction, no calls, no visit, just forgotten and you get to live out in loneliness and depression with only the memories of the good old days for comfort. I couldn't trade my peace of mind and freedom for just a few years of 'having it all', I would prefer never to have it all. But everyone gets to decide their path in this life. A good name is better than riches, because even in death a good name will live on, your riches die with you, and can be lost at any moment during your life. I wish him well
👍
ReplyDelete