Two Nigerian nationals, Chijioke Timothy Odimegwu and Harafat Mogaji, have been sentenced to a combined 189 months in prison in the United States for their roles in an international cyber fraud operation that targeted businesses and non-profit organisations.
Odimegwu, 25, received a 111-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $366,617.59 in restitution, while Mogaji, 26, was sentenced to 78 months and ordered to pay $995,680.45.
Both men were taken into custody after their sentencing on September 25, 2026, and will each spend three years under supervised release after completing their prison terms.
According to the US Department of Justice, the pair were members of the United States Air Force when they carried out the scheme with other conspirators in the US and abroad. For almost two years, they allegedly used spam emails and phishing campaigns to obtain usernames and passwords belonging to employees of targeted businesses.
The stolen credentials were then allegedly combined with spoofed email addresses designed to impersonate businesses or their trusted partners. The conspirators used the compromised accounts to manipulate legitimate business communications and redirect wire payments into bank accounts under their control.
Investigators said the scheme resulted in the diversion of more than $1.68 million from an Iowa victim to a Chicago bank account controlled by the conspiracy. Another transfer worth more than $720,000 from an Ohio victim was also allegedly redirected.
The prosecution further established that the defendants obtained sensitive financial information, including bank account details, personal identification numbers and credit and debit card information. Some of the information was allegedly exchanged or purchased from other members of the conspiracy and subsequently used in unauthorised financial transactions and attempted purchases.
US Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentences, while the FBI Omaha Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
The FBI said the case highlights the need for businesses and individuals to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and remain alert to phishing attempts and other forms of online fraud.
Clarify the combined prison-term calculation…