Georgia Woman Sentenced for $1 Million Wire Fraud Scheme in West Virginia

Chisom Okonkwo, a 29-year-old resident of Lawrenceville, Georgia, has been sentenced to seven months in prison for her involvement in a wire fraud scheme that defrauded a Gilmer County business of over $1 million. The sentencing was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

The scheme involved Okonkwo and an accomplice creating an email address that impersonated an employee of a local business. This fraudulent email was used to trick a vendor into sending more than $1 million into a bank account under the defendants’ control. Investigations revealed that Okonkwo and her co-defendant managed to spend over $600,000 of the misappropriated funds before the fraud was detected. As part of her sentencing, Okonkwo was ordered to pay $610,146.03 in restitution to the defrauded business. The second defendant in the case, Prince Boateng Adjei, also of Lawrenceville, Georgia, is awaiting sentencing at a later date. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas, with the investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the proceedings.

This case highlights the significant financial losses that can result from sophisticated business email compromise scams, which often involve impersonating trusted individuals to divert funds. The recovery of restitution is a key component in addressing the financial damage caused by such fraudulent activities, though it may not fully compensate victims for their losses.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia

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