A United States District Judge, Jeremy D. Kernodle, has sentenced a Nigerian man to federal prison, on Thursday over violations of federal fraud laws.
He was jailed in the Eastern District of Texas.
This was announced by US Attorney Brit Featherston of the Eastern District of Texas.
In a press release signed by the Senior Public Affairs Specialist of the US Embassy in Abuja, Aishah Gambari, on Thursday, March 31, 2022, Featherston said that the Nigerian man, “Sobanke Idris Sunday Adereti, 24, pleaded guilty on October 25, 2021, to passport fraud and attempted bank fraud, and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.”
The press statement read in part: “According to court documents, in March 2021, Adereti presented a false passport and a falsely procured certified check (cheque) when trying to open a bank account in Flower Mound, Texas. The check (cheque) was purchased by a fraud victim who was induced into sending money to Adereti, falsely known as ‘Robinson Elijah.’ He was likely acting as a money mule to cash the victim’s checks (cheques).
“When Adereti was arrested, he had additional passports and bank statements in other names in his possession. Investigators determined that Adereti was also connected to scams related to business email compromise fraud and other government program fraud.
“Additionally, evidence showed that Adereti was the son of a Nigerian traditional ruler and entered the United States on a visitor’s visa in 2018, which has since expired.”
The statement quoted U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston as saying, “Thanks to the keen eye of bank officials, Adereti was apprehended. Unfortunately, many of these crimes target our vulnerable elder population. It is up to all of us to share this awareness and look out for our greatest generation.”