July 2025 — Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a Nigerian national, has pleaded guilty to operating a large-scale inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable victims across the United States of more than $6 million. The scam involved sending personalized letters claiming recipients were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from overseas relatives, but required upfront fees to claim the funds.
Akhimie and his co-conspirators convinced victims to send money for supposed taxes, delivery fees, and other payments, funneling the proceeds through a network of U.S.-based accomplices. None of the victims received any inheritance.
Multiple federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Consumer Protection Branch, worked with international partners from the U.K., Spain, and Portugal to investigate the case.
Akhimie faces up to 20 years in prison. Several co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
The Justice Department urges seniors who suspect fraud to report incidents via the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11.
