A Nigerian national, Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha, has been extradited from Poland to the United States to face federal charges for allegedly running a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly Americans of their life savings.

Nnebocha, 43, made his first court appearance on Monday, September 29, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett in the Southern District of Florida.

The Alleged Scheme

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Nnebocha and his associates operated the scheme for over five years, sending personalized letters to seniors across America. The letters claimed the recipients were heirs to multimillion-dollar estates left by relatives who supposedly died in Spain.

Victims were instructed to pay “fees and taxes” before accessing their inheritance. In reality, there were no inheritances. Instead, the money was funneled through a network of former victims in the U.S., who were manipulated into forwarding funds overseas.

Charges and Penalties

Nnebocha is charged with:

  • Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud

  • Mail fraud

  • Wire fraud

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

A judge will determine his sentence after reviewing U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Others Already Convicted

Two co-defendants — Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata (extradited from Portugal) and Ehis Lawrence Akhimie (extradited from the UK) — have already pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 97 months in prison each for their roles in the same scheme.

Broader Crackdown on Fraud Targeting Seniors

The DOJ emphasized that this case reflects wider efforts to protect American seniors from scams, including:

  • Romance fraud – criminals pretending to be in love to steal money.

  • Lottery fraud – fake sweepstakes with victims paying bogus “fees.”

  • Tech support fraud – tricking victims into paying to fix non-existent computer issues.

  • Grandparent scams – impersonating relatives in fake emergencies.

The investigation involved the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), INTERPOL, Polish authorities, and the DOJ’s Office of International Affairs.