A 64-year-old Nigerian man, residing illegally in Houston, has been handed a two-year federal prison sentence for his involvement in a widespread mail theft and credit card fraud operation, as disclosed by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Omokehinde Muyiwa Oyegoke-Tewogbade, who had pleaded guilty back on February 19, was convicted of participating in this scheme that targeted U.S. mail containing newly issued credit cards and bank statements.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen also ordered Oyegoke-Tewogbade to pay restitution in the sum of $839,555.75. Considering the individual's status as a non-U.S. citizen who overstayed his visa, removal proceedings are anticipated to follow Oyegoke-Tewogbade's incarceration period.
This case revolves around an elaborate and orchestrated effort spanning a period between November 2022 and May 2023, where Oyegoke-Tewogbade, together with accomplices, swiped mail, activated stolen credit cards, tampered with credit limits and personal account details, and consequently engaged in unauthorized transactions. These transactions included purchases of goods, services, gift cards, as well as cashing out at retail establishments.
The fraudulent activities resulted in the activation of at least 120 stolen credit cards, causing roughly $1 million in losses to Chase Bank, according to the prosecution's findings. Alongside Oyegoke-Tewogbade, four other individuals from Houston—Christopher McGee, 43; Daniel Sanchez, 37; Bradley Kane Zarco, 39; and Travis Castaneda Qawasmeh, 28—had entered guilty pleas for similar charges. Thus far, Sanchez has been sentenced to 41 months, while the remaining co-defendants await their sentencing hearings.
Oyegoke-Tewogbade is currently being held in custody and is expected to be transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility shortly. The investigation into the fraudulent scheme was carried out by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Lansden leading the prosecution for the case.
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