A Nigerian national residing in Phoenix, Kingsley Ibhadore, has been sentenced to 17 months in a U.S. federal prison for his involvement in laundering millions of dollars obtained from online romance scams.
The sentencing took place at the United States District Court for the District of Arizona on Monday, May 5, 2025.
Ibhadore had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in May 2024.
Federal authorities revealed that between 2018 and 2019, Ibhadore was instrumental in a scheme that defrauded unsuspecting victims of nearly $3 million.
According to the U.S. Secret Service, he used various aliases and forged passports to open 24 bank accounts across several major banks, including Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, and BBVA Compass.
Operating under names like Barry Bhoye, Celestin Cheick, Simone Diakite, and Celestin Emmanuel, Ibhadore deposited large checks—some exceeding $100,000—obtained from romance scam victims.
He then withdrew the funds or funneled them into overseas accounts in Nigeria and Turkey.
“This was a large-scale financial scheme,” stated Scott Windish, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service in Phoenix, during the 2023 investigation.
Officials believe Ibhadore was connected to a broader organized fraud network.
He was originally indicted in 2023 following a FOX 10 report that uncovered the operation.
The sentencing is seen as a significant step in the U.S. government’s continued efforts to dismantle international financial fraud and online romance scam rings.
