On Monday, a court in Mississippi, USA handed down lengthy prison sentences to three Nigerian men convicted of running prolific online scams.
Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30, was sentenced to 95 years in prison. Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31, received 115 years behind bars. Femi Alexander Mewase, 45, was sentenced to 25 years in jail.
A jury found all three men guilty of a litany of federal crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, credit card fraud, and theft of government property. Prosecutors said the scams orchestrated by the trio had defrauded victims out of tens of millions of dollars.
“These sentences send a clear message that we will not tolerate criminals who try to prey on innocent people through elaborate online schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca.
“The substantial prison terms handed down today should serve as a deterrent to anyone considering participating in this type of criminal enterprise.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and other federal agencies. Authorities said the scams involved the use of phishing emails, fraudulent online dating profiles, and other tactics to trick victims into providing personal and financial information.
Experts say cyber-enabled financial crimes like these have become a major problem globally, costing consumers and businesses billions each year.
The harsh sentences in this case reflect the growing commitment of law enforcement to crack down on such pervasive criminal activity.