A former William Carey track and field athlete has been sentenced for her role in an overseas fraud scheme.
Anienkeme Etim, 24, was ordered to serve three years of probation and pay a fine of $74,847.52 and restitution of $123,116.50 to victims of the scheme by a judge in the U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.
Court documents show that between 2018 and 2022, fraudsters based in Nigeria targeted men and women across the U.S. in romance scams, fraudulent goods scams, and military scams. The victims of the fraud schemes would be instructed to send money to individuals based in the United States, who would then transfer the money back overseas.
After investigating the money transfers, the FBI determined that Etim, Uyoyo Mercy Abire, Raymond Ekevwo, Toluwani Adebakin, Ngoni Chadyiwa, and Emmanuel Ineh, were all receiving and transferring the proceeds from the fraud schemes. At the time they were engaged in this activity, each individual was a track and field athlete at the collegiate level.
Etim and Adebakin, originally from Nigeria, were track and field athletes at William Carey University. Abire, originally from Nigeria, was a track and field athlete at LSU. Ekevwo, originally from Nigeria, was a track and field athlete at the University of Florida. Ngoni Chadyiwa, originally from Zimbabwe, was a track and field athlete at William Carey University. Emmanuel Ineh, originally from Nigeria, was a track and field athlete at William Carey University and the University of Alabama.
The investigation did not show that any of the athletes directly contacted the fraud victims. However, as a result of the fraud schemes, the athletes received funds from over 100 victims and transferred over $820,000 overseas.
Etim was sentenced today after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business. Abire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Ekevwo pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business and was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Adebakin pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Chadyiwa pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business and was sentenced to three years of probation. Ineh pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release.
All of the defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the victims from whom they personally received funds. Each defendant also remains subject to potential deportation and/or removal from the U.S.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Buckner and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Eichner prosecuted the case.
