A U.S. court has sentenced a Nigerian and permanent resident of the United States, Adedayo Fateru, to seven years and three months in prison over his involvement in a $1.7 million money laundering racket. 

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) announced that Mr Fateru’s sentence and those of three of his accomplices were handed down on Wednesday.

The Department of Justice said Mr Fateru was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.

“Upon completion of his sentence, Fateru will be transferred to ICE custody for removal proceedings in accordance with U.S. immigration law,” the DoJ said.

Citing court documents, the DoJ said “Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Services (“USPIS”) investigated Adedayo Fateru, a Nigerian citizen and U.S. permanent resident, Lisa Farrow, William Atwater, and Victoria Stone for a money laundering ring involving the proceeds of various wire fraud schemes including business email compromises (“BEC”).”

Mr Fateru and his allies were also charged with modified check schemes, false automated clearing house (ACH) schemes, false applications for economic injury disaster loans (“EIDL”) provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, and false applications for unemployment benefits.

While Mr Fateru received a seven-year and three-month prison sentence, his allies were sentenced as follows: Ms Farrow received 45 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, Mr Atwater received 33 months of imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release, and Ms Stone received 25 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.