A Nigerian-American man, Omoyoma Okoro, who is already serving a 100-month prison term for his involvement in an $80 million fraud operation, now faces fresh charges that could add up to 30 more years to his sentence and lead to the loss of his U.S. citizenship.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Okoro was convicted in September 2024 by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on several charges, including conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud. He was also found guilty of two counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of bank fraud. He was ordered to pay more than $22 million in restitution.
Authorities say the fraudulent activities occurred between 2008 and 2011—years before Okoro applied for U.S. citizenship.
In 2018, Okoro filed for naturalization. During the application process, he was asked whether he had ever committed a crime, and he falsely answered “No” under penalty of perjury. He was granted citizenship and took the oath on December 13, 2018. His arrest and conviction followed after he became a citizen.
“Okoro is alleged to have knowingly and materially made false statements under penalty of perjury on his application for naturalization,” the DOJ stated.
He now faces a three-count indictment for naturalization fraud. If found guilty, he could face an additional prison term of up to 30 years and the revocation of his U.S. citizenship.
This development follows the recent sentencing of another Nigerian, Kingsley Utulu, who received five years and three months in prison for his role in a major hacking and identity theft scheme that defrauded U.S. taxpayers and individuals of more than $2.5 million.