John Muriuku Wamuigah, a 36-year-old citizen of Kenya, was sentenced on Mar. 19 by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to approximately 23 months of imprisonment, time already served, for his involvement in a business email compromise scheme that operated across several countries, including the United States.
The case highlights ongoing efforts to address cyber-enabled financial crimes targeting businesses and individuals through fraudulent electronic communications. The sentencing follows a multi-agency investigation into an international fraud operation responsible for millions of dollars in losses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wamuigah took part in a scheme led by Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, a Nigerian national. Osuji and his co-conspirators posed as trustworthy entities online to deceive victims into transferring money to accounts under their control. The operation involved using both unwitting and willing “money mules,” including romance scam victims, who helped move fraud proceeds through their bank accounts before transferring funds or converting them to cash for further transfer.
Victims included organizations such as a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, and a New York-based food and beverage company. Losses from the scheme totaled more than $12 million over its years-long operation.
Wamuigah’s specific role involved altering or forging invoices, contracts, and wire transfer instructions at Osuji’s direction so that victims would unknowingly send money to accounts controlled by the conspirators. He was arrested in Malaysia in 2022 at the request of U.S. authorities and extradited back to the United States in 2025. On October 17, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud; he will now be transferred into ICE custody for removal proceedings back to Kenya.
Other participants have also been prosecuted: on May 1, 2024, Osuji was found guilty by jury trial of conspiracy charges and later sentenced on December 4 that year to eight years’ imprisonment; co-conspirator Tolulope Bodunde received two years’ imprisonment following sentencing on October 15.
The FBI New Haven Field Office and Stamford Police Department led the investigation with assistance from international law enforcement partners including Malaysia’s Royal Police Force and Attorney General’s Chambers.
