Obinwanne Okeke was ordered to repay approximately $ 10.7 million fraudulently received from identified victims of his five-year or more wire fraud in the US and elsewhere. PREMIUM TIMES Reports.
A judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, Rebecca Smith, sentenced him to 10 years in prison on February 16 and ordered the US government to lose his identified property.
One of the assets is his “emerald-cut white gold engagement ring with small accented diamonds”.
The other forfeited assets are two cars at home in Nigeria and N280,555,010, which is roughly the equivalent of $ 700,000 that the Nigerian government confiscated from him.
Fraud
The US authorities said that Mr. Okeke and his co-conspirators, who remain at large, were involved “through ruse and impersonation” in a multi-year global e-mail and computer hacking program that caused incredible losses to its victims $ 11 million.
31-year-old Okeke, also known as Invictus Obi, pleaded guilty to wire fraud last June.
His confession of guilt, which had helped him bring one of the two charges originally filed against him, was dropped and he admitted that his confiscated property would be returned and forfeited.
Condemnation
On Thursday, PREMIUM TIMES received only the “Restitution Order” and “Consent Order of Forfeiture” from the court, which are part of the judgment documents signed by the judge and the parties to the case.
In addition to the judge, the acting United States attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, Raj Parekh, Mr. Okeke, and his defense attorney, John Iweanoge, also signed the two documents.
Refunded to three victims
“Pursuant to 18 USC Section 3663A (a) (1), the defendant will be sentenced to a joint and several repayment of a total of $ 10,679,166.54 with all other defendants sentenced to reimbursement for the same losses,” the reimbursement order states in part .
Attached to the document is a list of three victims of Mr Okeke’s fraud.
These are: Unatrac Holdings LLC of Washington DC, which was defrauded for $ 5,429,166.54; Orient Insurance PJSC defrauded $ 5 million and QBE European Operations lost $ 250,000 to the scammers.
The court ordered that all reimbursement payments “to be made to the clerk” “share the funds first with Unatrac and the remaining victims.”
The court waived interest on the amount to be reimbursed by the convicted person and ordered that “no delinquency or default penalties shall be imposed except as directed by the court”.
Foreclosure notice
In the forfeiture informed consent, the judge issued a monetary judgment that recorded the total of $ 10,679,166.54 to be refunded by Mr. Okeke.
This means that U.S. authorities will be able to execute the order as the court’s final judgment on the loss of assets that Mr. Okeke has an interest in raising the money for the refund.
According to the court, the amount “constitutes a monetary judgment against the defendant in favor of the United States” and will be “offset” after all of the assets seized from Mr. Okeke are definitively forfeited and liquidated.
Some of Mr. Okeke’s assets already ordered in the foreclosure document are “18-karat white gold emerald-cut engagement rings with small accented diamonds and GIA number 2287567161”.
“This ring was confiscated from the defendant at the time of his arrest,” the document stated.
The court also ordered the loss of the US government: “Approximately 280,555,010 Nigerian naira (approximately $ 700,000) were seized by the Nigerian authorities for his arrest on the charges against the defendant.
“Proceeds from the sale of the defendant’s 2018 Toyota Camry and 2017 Toyota Hilux.”
It added: “The defendant agrees to sell these two vehicles in Nigeria and send the proceeds to the US Marshals Service.
“The defendant must transfer these proceeds to the US Marshals Service within six months of the date of this warrant, unless the defendant is given an extension by written agreement with the government.
“The United States confiscates all forfeited goods and has total and exclusive custody and control over them.”
US assets also expire
The document also indicated, without disclosing, that Mr. Okeke may have assets in the United States that could be taken over by government agencies in the enforcement of the court’s monetary judgment.
“With respect to the monetary judgment described in paragraph (1) (a) above, the United States may bring such monetary judgment by any means legally available including, but not limited to, loss of direct proceeds and substitute property.
“To the extent that the United States requests the loss of replacement assets, the defendant agrees and the court determines that one or more of the criteria set out in 21 USC §853 (p) (1) are met and the United States can therefore apply for the loss of substitute assets according to § 853 (p). “
However, the court ordered that in executing the forfeiture of such assets in the United States, “as far as practicable, any person known to have an interest in the confiscated property should be given direct written notice have to make and publish a notification about it. “
The court added that anyone other than Mr Okeke who has a legal interest in the property can request a hearing from the court within 30 days of the notice being posted or the notice being received, whichever is earlier to assess the validity of their alleged interest in the property. “
It also ordered: “After the Court has decided on all timely petitions, a final forfeiture order will be issued. If no third party submits an application in time, this order becomes the final forfeiture order in accordance with Federal Criminal Procedure Code 32.2 (c) (2) and the
The United States has clear ownership of the property and controls the property in accordance with the law. “
profile
Mr. Okeke is the founder of Invictus Group, which reportedly has business interests in oil and gas, agriculture, and real estate, among others.
He is expected to have a degree in International Studies and Forensic Criminology and a Masters in International Relations and Counter Terrorism from Monash University in Australia
Mr. Okeke, a businessman of international fame, was featured in Forbes Africa Magazine in June 2016.
arrest
He was arrested on August 6, 2019 on a computer and cable fraud charge to defraud Unatrac Holding Limited, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
employee of Federal Investigation Office (FBI) caught him at Dulles International Airport in Virginia as he prepared to leave the United States after visiting to witness the birth of his 19-month-old daughter, who was born on July 15, 2019.
Calculated
On September 9, 2019, he was charged with two wire fraud conspiracies and computer fraud conspiracy.
Mr. Okeke, who initially denied the charges, later reached an agreement with the U.S. authorities and pleaded guilty to Count 1 on June 18, 2020.
The confession of guilt helped Mr. Okeke have the second charge withdrawn, which resulted in fewer penalties and fines.
Support PREMIUM TIMES journalism in terms of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. But only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, accountable democracy and transparent government.
In order to continue to have free access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you consider your modest support for this noble endeavor.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to maintain relevant journalism and ensure that it remains free and available to all.
donate
TEXT DISPLAY: Advertise here . Call Willie at +2347088095401 …
