WILMINGTON, Del. – In a significant legal development, Olugbenga Lawal, a 33-year-old Nigerian residing in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for his pivotal role in a sophisticated internet fraud scheme. The sentencing, pronounced by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, includes a restitution order of $1,460,875 to compensate victims of the elaborate fraud.

Lawal was convicted on August 10, 2023, by a federal jury for conspiring to commit money laundering. Court documents revealed that he collaborated directly with the Nigeria-based leader of an international criminal organization. This group targeted individuals and businesses across the United States, defrauding them of millions through intricate schemes such as romance fraud and business email compromise.

The organization, as outlined by the U.S. government, employed sophisticated methods to defraud victims and subsequently launder the ill-gotten gains. Lawal's involvement in converting fraudulent dollars to Nigerian currency played a crucial role in facilitating the repatriation of the organization's proceeds.

Between January 2019 and June 2020, Lawal, along with his co-conspirators, utilized bank accounts for laundering money on behalf of the criminal organization. The funds were traced directly to victims who had fallen prey to the internet-based fraud schemes.

Lawal's activities extended to intricate import/export transactions, including shipping cars to Nigeria and engaging in currency exchange transactions, all aimed at repatriating the fraud proceeds back to Nigeria. Three other co-conspirators—Michael Hermann, Rita Assane, and Dwight Baines—previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and await sentencing.

U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss emphasized the commitment to investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in defrauding Americans. He stated, "Criminal organizations around the world continue to use the internet to defraud hardworking American citizens and businesses out of millions of dollars."

Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office highlighted Lawal's extensive efforts to perpetrate the fraud scheme. Rothrock stated, "This sentence is more than just, given the unscrupulous tactics used. This case demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to hold fraudsters accountable."

The case was investigated by the FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse S. Wenger and Meredith C. Ruggles, along with Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Michael Grady of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS). Assistance was provided by MLARS Trial Attorneys Madeleine Case and Jasmin Salehi Fashami.

For more information, the press release can be found on the [U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware website](https://www.justice.gov/usao-de/pr/nigerian-national-sentenced-121-months-federal-prison-conspiring-launder-proceeds-internet). Additional court documents and information related to the case can be located on the [District Court for the District of Delaware website](https://www.ded.uscourts.gov/) or on [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) by searching for Case No. 22-cr-11.