A Kenyan national, John Miriuki Wamuigah, convicted alongside two Nigerians for wire fraud in the United States, is set to be deported back to Kenya following his involvement in a vast financial scam.
Mr Wamuigah, 36, was sentenced last Friday by US District Judge Janet C Hall in New Haven, Connecticut, to approximately 23 months’ imprisonment for his role in a conspiracy that siphoned off US$12 million, equivalent to about Sh1.554 billion.
Having already spent 23 months in custody, his sentence is considered served.
According to the US Department of Justice, Wamuigah was implicated in a sophisticated business email compromise scheme that spanned several countries including the United States. Court documents reveal that he collaborated with Nigerian nationals under the direction of Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, the alleged mastermind of the scheme.
“Osuji and his co-conspirators targeted specific individuals and businesses by masquerading as trustworthy entities in electronic communications to obtain money,” court records state.
The scheme relied on a network of both witting and unwitting “money mules,” some of whom were victims of romance scams themselves.
These individuals received fraudulent proceeds into their bank accounts which were then transferred onward to accounts controlled by the conspirators or converted into cash for further movement.
“Over the years-long operation, numerous victims were tricked into transferring funds into bank accounts they believed belonged to legitimate recipients as part of routine business operations,” the records add.
Among those defrauded were a Connecticut-based financial firm, a Colorado lending company, an Alaska non-profit performing arts organization and a New York food and beverage enterprise. In reality, the accounts receiving the funds were controlled by Mr Osuji and his associates.
Wamuigah’s role in the conspiracy involved altering and forging invoices, contracts and wire transfer instructions at Mr Osuji’s direction, which were then used to deceive victims into parting with substantial sums.
After committing the crimes, Wamuigah fled the United States for Malaysia. He was arrested there in 2022 following a request by US authorities and was subsequently extradited in 2025 to face charges.
“On October 17, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wamuigah will be transferred to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and removed to Kenya,” the court confirmed.
Osuji’s fate was sealed on May 1, 2024 when a jury in New Haven found him guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and he was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment on December 4, 2024.
Another co-conspirator, Tolulope Bodunde, a Nigerian citizen, received a 24-month sentence on October 15, 2024.
Investigators note that this case is not an isolated incident. Nearly 15 years ago, several Kenyan immigrants were convicted in the United States on similar charges, serving lengthy custodial sentences, while some accomplices reportedly returned to Kenya.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department, with critical support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers in securing Mr Wamuigah’s arrest and extradition.
The prosecution was led by Assistant US Attorney Neeraj N. Patel, alongside the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
