Christopher Agbaje, a Nigerian citizen, has been sentenced to 142 months in federal prison for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme aimed at a law firm in North Dakota. Alongside his prison term, Agbaje has been ordered to pay $188,935.74 in restitution to the affected law firm. This sentencing was issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota, shedding light on the fraudulent activities that took place between November and December of 2020.
During this period, Agbaje, in collaboration with others, falsely represented himself as a business owner in a legal conflict with a Bismarck-based company. The group managed to deceive the law firm by creating a fabricated attorney-client relationship.
Central to the scheme was a fake Citibank check worth $198,850.00, which was submitted to the law firm. The firm deposited the check, and upon request, transferred $198,336.68 to Agbaje’s accomplice. Once the money was transferred, Agbaje instructed his partner to carry out a sham $180,000 international wire transfer to obscure the funds’ whereabouts and control.
When law enforcement began investigating the transfer, Agbaje advised his associate to “gain leverage” by feigning ignorance. Following this, Agbaje was extradited from the United Kingdom to North Dakota in February 2024. Though initially charged with five offenses, Agbaje was acquitted of Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud in May. However, he was found guilty of Money Laundering, Aiding and Abetting Wire Fraud, and Aiding and Abetting Mail Fraud. His conviction was finalized on May 18 after a four-day trial in Bismarck.
For more updates on this story and others, join our WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VabITrvEAKW7DSkTfP0J.