Three Defendants Sentenced for Inheritance Scam and Money Laundering Conspiracy in US District Court of Guam

The United States District Court of Guam handed down sentences for three defendants, Sally Cruz Roberto, Monique Jones, and Mekayda D. Jones, in relation to an intricate advanced fee and money laundering scheme that defrauded approximately 60 Guam-based investors of $2.6 million.

Sentencing of the Defendants

Sally Cruz Roberto: A 56-year-old resident of 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 $3,900 mandatory assessment fee, and a $1,030,990 forfeiture money judgment. Roberto was convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 38 counts of wire fraud.
Monique Jones: A 49-year-old resident of Dallas, Texas, received a 48-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $578,130 in restitution, a $2,700 mandatory assessment fee, and a $1,111,280 forfeiture money judgment. She was convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 25 counts of wire fraud, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Mekayda Jones: A 24-year-old resident of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 36 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $387,160 in restitution, a $1,600 mandatory assessment fee, and a $801,210 forfeiture money judgment. She was convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 14 counts of wire fraud, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Okechukwu F. Iwuji: A 38-year-old Nigerian citizen who previously resided in Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to 45 months in prison, 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.

Background of the Scam

The defendants were involved in a complex scheme that defrauded victims in Guam using the promise of a multimillion-dollar inheritance as bait. This intricate conspiracy targeted nearly 60 victims, with almost all residing in Guam. Shawn N. Anderson, the United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced the sentencing on August 15, 2023.

Roles of the Defendants

Sally Cruz Roberto obtained $1,030,990 of victim funds and transferred them to stateside bank accounts of co-conspirators.
Monique Jones and her daughter, Mekayda Jones, maintained bank accounts in the names of shell corporations to receive, withdraw, and transfer victim funds to other conspirators in the United States and Nigeria, keeping at least 10 percent of the victim funds for their own gain.
Okechukwu F. Iwuji received at least $475,710 of victim funds transferred from Roberto and other co-conspirators and transferred some funds to third-party Nigerian bank accounts.

Collaborative Effort to Prosecute

The success of the investigation and prosecution of this complex case is a result of a collaborative effort across various jurisdictions, including the FBI Guam Resident Agency, 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. The case was prosecuted by Marivic P. David, First Assistant United States Attorney and Criminal Chief, in the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Conclusion

This extensive inheritance scam and money laundering conspiracy targeted victims in Guam. The FBI Special Agent in Charge, Steven Merrill, emphasized the importance of reporting such scams, stating, “This sentence serves as a reminder to the public that inheritance scams, offering returns that seem too good to be true, will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted by the FBI.” If you suspect that you have been a victim of an inheritance scam or money laundering scheme, contact the FBI at (800) CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.