Earlier this year, Samuel, along with Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham and Jerry Chucks Ozor, were extradited from the United Kingdom and made appearances before U.S Magistrate Judge Eduardo I. Sanchez in Miami.
The victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and payments to avoid questioning from government authorities.
According to court documents, Samuel, was part of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal.
“I thank every agent that worked tirelessly to ensure these criminals are brought to justice for their actions – families are forever impacted all because of these felons' actions as they targeted the elderly causing pain and financial ruin.”
U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Samuel on June 21, 2023 in Miami. She also ordered Samuel to make restitution payments to victims of his offenses.
Two additional co-defendants, Jonathan Abraham and Jerry Ozor, previously were convicted in the case. They are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Williams in the coming months.
The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS, and HSI are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
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