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February 1, 2007
ELEVEN CONVICTED IN MONEY LAUNDERING CONSPIRACY TIED TO MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR IDENTITY THEFT SCHEME
(HOUSTON) Eleven defendants have pleaded guilty to being part of a money laundering conspiracy tied to an identity theft scheme causing millions in bank losses, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today.
At a hearing before United States District Judge David Hittner held this morning, Houston residents Uzoma Okechukwu Osuagwu, 35, Chukwemeka O. Uwom, 26, Ifeoma Gloria Dimuna, 24, Corey Dennard Sharp, 23, Jarret K. Spaulding, 21, Lakeisha Shaunte Stredic, 25, Jeanna Joiner, 35, Johnny Hawkins, Jr., 39, Rodney B. Newton, 43, Kevin Okechukwu Onwudiwe, 37, and Gisselle J. Madison, 21, currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina, all pleaded guilty to the federal money laundering charge. Each faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 for the conviction at their respective sentencing hearings which have been set on various dates and times during the week of April 23, 2007.
The convictions today are the result of the investigative efforts of the United States Postal Service which produced evidence proving that Uzoma Okechukwu Osuagwu (Osuagwu) obtained the confidential bank account and identity information of numerous individuals residing in locations throughout the United States. Some of Osuagwu’s co-conspirators were paid to recruit other co-conspirators to open bank accounts in Houston to serve as collusive accounts in the scheme. After the collusive accounts were opened, the account’s information was transferred to Osuagwu. Osuagwu then used his stolen account information to wire transfer money from the compromised accounts to the collusive accounts. When the wire transfers reached the collusive accounts, the money was immediately withdrawn from the account and divided among the conspirators involved. Osuagwu operated the scheme for a period of approximately 18 months between May 2005 through August 2006. Bank losses to date total more than $2.5 million dollars.
Uzoma Okechukwu Osuagwu also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and faces a mandatory two year sentence to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the money laundering conspiracy conviction.
In addition to the charges arising from the identity theft scheme and the laundering of the ill-gotten gains, Osuagwu was also charged and today pleaded guilty to having procured his naturalization as a U. S. Citizen by fraud. Specifically, the federal investigation proved that on October 20, 1997 Osuagwu was convicted of mail fraud in federal court in Colorado and sentenced to 10 months in prison under the name of Nnanna Okereke. Osuagwu concealed that fact from immigration authorities when he became a naturalized United States citizen under his true name in Houston, Texas on July 30, 2002 . The conviction carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, Osuagwu’s United States citizenship will be rescinded as a result of his conviction and he is subject to deportation following his release from prison.
Osuagwu, Uwom and Dimuna, all of whom are foreign nationals, are being held in federal custody without bond pending their sentencing hearing. The remaining defendants, all American citizens with significant ties to the community, will be permitted to remain free on previously set bonds.
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