A 53-year-old Nigerian national, Charles Nnamdi Emesim, has been sentenced to 115 months in prison in the United States for his role in laundering proceeds from various fraudulent schemes, including romance and inheritance scams that victimized at least 23 individuals.
Sentencing Details
Emesim, who was legally residing in Newark, New Jersey, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Robert Wier on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, after being convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The United States Department of Justice announced the sentencing in a press release on Thursday, May 14.
Decade-Long Criminal Scheme
According to the statement, Emesim operated a decade-long scheme to receive and launder proceeds from multiple internet- and telephone-enabled scams. These included romance scams, government imposter scams, lottery scams, investment scams, inheritance scams, and medical expense scams. Between December 9, 2013, and at least June 28, 2024, he opened and managed at least 17 bank accounts under his name or under the names of his companies, Chadon Export or Chadon Trucking.
Victims and Financial Losses
During this period, at least 23 individuals across the United States were defrauded into sending over $700,000 to Emesim. They did so by mailing cash or cashier's checks to his addresses, sending money transfers, or wiring funds directly into his bank accounts. One notable victim, a senior citizen and widow from the Eastern District of Kentucky, was ensnared in a romance scam. She believed she was in a romantic relationship with a person named Michael Oliver, who claimed he wanted to transfer his wealth to her.
To facilitate this, Oliver connected the victim with a customs agent named Samuel Rock, with whom she frequently communicated via WhatsApp. The victim even traveled to the Lexington, Kentucky airport to meet Rock in person, giving him additional money, driving him to a local store, and buying him a computer tablet. The court determined that Emesim was the individual who impersonated Customs Agent Rock during the in-person meeting. This victim lost tens of thousands of dollars by sending cash, cashier's checks, and prepaid debit or gift cards to Emesim and his co-conspirators.
Money Laundering Methods
Emesim often withdrew victims' funds in cash, transferred the money to accounts under the names of relatives or businesses, or moved the funds to his own accounts or those of family members in Nigeria.
Official Statements
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, condemned the crimes, stating, Romance scams and financial fraud schemes are predatory crimes because they target victims through deception, emotional manipulation, and calculated exploitation. This defendant spent years helping funnel stolen money from hardworking Americans, including an elderly victim in Eastern Kentucky who was manipulated into believing she was building a genuine relationship. These criminals do not see victims as people—they see them as targets. The Eastern District of Kentucky, alongside the FBI, will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute those who exploit trust, devastate families, and profit from fraud.
Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Louisville Field Office, added, For more than a decade, Mr. Emesim preyed upon trusting men and women, stealing their hard-earned money to line his own pockets. Today's sentencing is a powerful reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are steadfast in our pursuit of criminals who operate financial scams at the expense of innocent Americans, and that we will devote every available resource to seeking justice on behalf of victims and their families.
Court's Remarks and Sentencing Terms
During the sentencing hearing, the court characterized Emesim's conduct as heartless and unquestionably reprehensible, noting that it caused terrible financial damage and an incredible emotional and psychological toll on the victims. The court urged everyone in the country to understand that there will be accountability, and those convicted of such international, internet-enabled schemes will face sentences far worse than the potential profit. Under federal law, Emesim must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. After his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
The sentence was jointly announced by Jason Parman and Olivia Olson. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
