An Indianapolis man has received a sentence of three years in prison for his involvement in an international advance-fee scam that brought in over $5.6 million from victims across the globe. Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, was part of a sophisticated fraud operation rooted in Nigeria, tricking individuals into wiring large amounts of money to U.S. bank accounts with the false promise of investment returns or inherited wealth.

According to a Department of Justice announcement, from February 2015 to January 2018, Nwosisi, alongside his Nigeria-based co-conspirators, convinced victims that paying hefty fees was a necessary step to unlock their supposed funding or inheritance. His conviction on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment of money laundering came after a Houston federal jury trial that concluded on March 4, 2024.

The investigation, spearheaded by the FBI and the Department of State Office of Inspector General (DOS-OIG), brought forth evidence presented at trial. Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI Houston Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Hileman of DOS-OIG oversaw the extensive operation that led to Nwosisi's sentencing.

Prosecutors for the case included Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Latham for the Southern District of Texas.