By Adedapo Adesanya

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has clamped down on a number of Nigerians – counting up to 80 in an ongoing investigation over fraud related offences.

US Attorney, Mr Nick Hanna, disclosed this in a press statement released in Los Angeles, California on Thursday revealing a grand indictment on the Nigerians for participating 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.

“Indictments showed very specific allegations against these 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,” Mr Hanna said.

He further explained that a total of 252 count charges ranging from “conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, aggravated identity theft” have been filed against the suspects.

The indictment alleges that the defendants and others used various online fraud schemes – including business email compromise (BEC) frauds, romance scams, and schemes targeting the elderly – to defraud victims out of millions of dollars.

Business Post gathered that a criminal complaint unsealed on Thursday showed that co-conspirators were based in Nigeria, the United States and other countries and contacted the lead defendants in the indictment. Some of these include Valentine Iro, 31, of Carson, and Chukwudi Christogunus Igbokwe, 38, of Gardena, both Nigerian citizens – for bank and money-service accounts that could receive funds fraudulently obtained from victims.

The indictment released further exposed the names and nicknames of the defendants, these are listed thus:

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,”

As at the time of this report, there has been no response or comment by the Nigerian Government over this issue.