Financial Crime World

Title: Three Conspirators Behind $2.6 Million Inheritance Scam Sentenced in Guam Court

Fajardo, Northern Mariana Islands — Three Individuals Receive Prison Sentences for their Roles in Advanced Fee and Money Laundering Scheme

The United States District Court of Guam handed down sentences to four individuals involved in an advance fee and money laundering scheme that defrauded over 60 Guam-based victims out of approximately $2.6 million. The defendants lured victims into paying bogus fees and other expenses linked to a fictitious multimillion-dollar inheritance.

Sentencings and Charges

The following sentences were issued:

  1. Sally Cruz Roberto 🔹 A 56-year-old woman from Santa Rita, Guam, was sentenced to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $1,030,990 in restitution, a mandatory assessment fee of $3,900, and a $1,030,990 forfeiture money judgment. Roberto, found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 38 counts of wire fraud, was responsible for obtaining and transferring over $1 million in victim funds.

  2. Monique Jones 🔹 A 49-year-old woman from Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and required to pay $578,130 in restitution, a mandatory assessment fee of $2,700, and a $1,111,280 forfeiture money judgment. Jones, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was also found guilty of 25 counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She played a critical role in maintaining bank accounts for shell corporations to receive, withdraw, and transfer victim funds to other conspirators in the US and Nigeria.

  3. Mekayda D. Jones 🔹 A 24-year-old woman from Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $387,160 in restitution, a mandatory assessment fee of $1,600, and a $801,210 forfeiture money judgment. Mekayda Jones, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 14 counts of wire fraud, received and managed funds from victim accounts for the conspirators in exchange for keeping a percentage of the proceeds.

  4. Okechukwu F. Iwuji 🔹 A Nigerian national, 38, of Orlando, Florida, received a 45-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $475,710 in restitution, a $100 mandatory assessment fee, and a $475,710 forfeiture money judgment. Iwuji had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He obtained and transferred victim funds to third-party Nigerian bank accounts as part of the conspiracy.

Impact on the Guam Community

David M. Atesano, the U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, expressed concern over the widespread impact this criminal organization had on the community. He stated, “This far-ranging conspiracy preyed on 60 victims, nearly all of whom live in Guam. These scams are difficult to investigate and prosecute due to the interstate and transnational nature of the criminal activity. Our success in this matter is the result of a team effort across multiple jurisdictions, with outstanding leadership by prosecutor David.”

Steven Merrill, the FBI Special Agent in Charge from Dallas, emphasized the importance of staying vigilant against such schemes. He highlighted, “This sentence should make the public aware that these types of advanced fee, inheritance-related scams will be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If you believe you have been scammed, please contact the FBI at (800) 225-5324 (CALL-FBI) or report it to tips.fbi.gov.”

Investigation and Collaborations

The investigation was spearheaded by the FBI Guam Resident Agency, with the assistance of FBI field offices in Dallas and Atlanta, Homeland Security Investigations in Orlando, Florida, the U.S. Secret Service in Dallas, and the Guam Police Department.

This case was prosecuted by Marivic P. David, the First Assistant United States Attorney and Criminal Chief in the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.