The United States authorities have said a Nigerian national, Ayobami Omoniyi, will be deported after serving a 32-month prison sentence for his involvement in a $202,000 money laundering operation.
The disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday.
According to the statement, Omoniyi and his accomplices in 2021 handled funds traced to victims of financial fraud, including a firm based in Australia, and subsequently moved the proceeds through various channels.
Investigations showed that the group operated an unlicensed money transfer network linked to business email compromise schemes, a form of fraud that deceived victims into making payments to fraudulent accounts.
Authorities explained that victims were misled through fake emails designed to appear as legitimate business correspondence, prompting them to transfer money into accounts controlled by members of the syndicate.
The Justice Department noted that Omoniyi admitted his role in processing the illicit funds, including transferring the proceeds across multiple bank accounts while fully aware of their criminal origin.
It added that he also received payments from victims and, in exchange for a commission, forwarded the funds to other members of the network.
Following his guilty plea, Omoniyi was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen to 32 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution amounting to $202,273.80.
Officials further stated that he would be deported upon completion of his sentence, as he is not a citizen of the United States.
The statement also revealed that the court was informed of his involvement in criminal activities shortly after his arrival in the country, including acting as a recruiter for the scheme.
He is expected to remain in custody pending transfer to a federal correctional facility.