A Nigerian man, Charles Nnamdi Emesim, has been sentenced to 115 months’ imprisonment in the United States over his involvement in a large-scale romance and internet fraud scheme that reportedly defrauded more than 23 victims of over $700,000.
The sentence was handed down on Wednesday by a U.S. District Court judge, Robert Wier, according to a statement released by the United States Department of Justice.
Authorities said Emesim, 53, a legal resident of Newark, New Jersey, was convicted for conspiracy to commit money laundering linked to multiple online fraud schemes carried out over a period spanning more than a decade.
According to investigators, the schemes included romance scams, lottery fraud, inheritance scams, investment fraud, government impersonation scams and fake medical emergency schemes.
The Justice Department disclosed that between December 2013 and June 2024, Emesim operated at least 17 bank accounts under his name and through companies identified as Chadon Export and Chadon Trucking.
Investigators said victims across the United States were manipulated into sending money through wire transfers, cashier’s cheques, money orders and cash deposits into accounts controlled by the convict.
One of the victims, described as an elderly widow from Kentucky, was allegedly deceived into believing she was in a romantic relationship with a man identified as “Michael Oliver.”
The victim was later introduced to another individual posing as a customs official named Samuel Rock, who claimed he would facilitate the release of wealth tied to the supposed relationship.
Authorities said the victim eventually met the fake customs agent at an airport in Lexington, Kentucky, handed over additional cash and even purchased a computer tablet for him.
“The court found that Emesim was the individual who impersonated ‘Customs Agent Rock’ during the in-person meeting,” the statement said.
Prosecutors disclosed that the victim lost tens of thousands of dollars through gift cards, prepaid debit cards, cashier’s cheques and direct payments made to Emesim and his associates.
The Justice Department further stated that the convict frequently withdrew victims’ funds in cash or transferred the proceeds to accounts linked to relatives, businesses and family members in Nigeria.
Reacting to the conviction, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Jason Parman, described romance scams as predatory crimes driven by emotional manipulation and exploitation.
“These criminals do not see victims as people — they see them as targets,” he said.
Also commenting, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office, Olivia Olson, said Emesim preyed on unsuspecting victims for years through calculated deception.
During sentencing, the court described the convict’s conduct as “heartless and unquestionably reprehensible,” noting that the crimes caused severe emotional, financial and psychological trauma to victims.
Under U.S. federal law, Emesim is expected to serve at least 85 per cent of his prison term and will remain under supervised release for three years after completing his sentence.
