Isaiah Okere, a 42-year-old Nigerian man, has pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding over 15 Americans and organizations out of more than $1 million through various internet scams. Okere appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman in New York, where he admitted to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, Okere collaborated with the transnational criminal group Black Axe, engaging in romance scams, lottery fraud, and business email compromise (BEC) schemes that primarily targeted elderly and vulnerable individuals. Some victims lost their entire life savings to these fraudulent activities.
Okere, who was arrested in South Africa in December 2021 and extradited to the U.S. in August 2024, now faces a potential five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“Isaiah Okere and his co-conspirators preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims, some of whom lost their entire life savings,” said U.S. Attorney Williams, emphasizing that Okere would be held accountable for his crimes.
The fraud, which began in 2015 and lasted until November 2019, resulted in significant financial and emotional harm to its victims. Some were manipulated into romantic relationships, draining their savings, while others were tricked into thinking they had won lotteries or fell victim to BEC schemes targeting businesses.
One victim even reported becoming suicidal after losing her retirement savings to the scam.
Okere’s accomplice, Timy Hakim, was sentenced to two years in prison in 2023 and ordered to pay over $1.4 million in restitution.
