Nigerian Man Sentenced To 12 Years Imprisonment For Defrauding U.S. Law Firm
A Nigerian man, Christopher Agbaje, has been sentenced to 142 months (nearly 12 years) in prison by a United States District Court for his involvement in a money laundering scheme and related cybercrimes. The sentence was handed down by Judge Daniel Traynor following a federal jury conviction in May 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota disclosed the details of the case in a press release on September 11, 2024, confirming that Agbaje was also ordered to pay restitution of €175,960.01 to a North Dakota law firm that was defrauded as part of the scheme.
Agbaje, who was found guilty of money laundering, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and aiding and abetting mail fraud, was extradited from the United Kingdom to face the charges in the U.S. in February 2024.
The case stems from a scheme Agbaje and his accomplices orchestrated between November and December 2020, which defrauded the law firm of €184,715.31. Evidence presented at the trial showed that the group posed as a business owner engaged in a legal dispute with a Bismarck, North Dakota company. They established a fictitious attorney-client relationship with the law firm and provided fraudulent information via email.
The law firm received a fraudulent Citibank check for €185,193.38 and, believing it to be legitimate, deposited the amount in their account. They later wired €184,715.31 to Agbaje’s accomplice at the request of the supposed client.
Shortly after, Agbaje instructed his partner to initiate an international wire transfer of €167,637.96 in an attempt to conceal the stolen funds. U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider remarked on the significance of the case, stating, “This strong sentence shows that international fraudsters cannot hide from justice.”
Agbaje’s case underscores the growing issue of cross-border cybercrime and the efforts to hold perpetrators accountable through international cooperation.
