A Nigerian national living in the United States, Ayobami Omoniyi, has been sentenced to prison over his involvement in a large-scale fraud operation. The ruling was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Omoniyi, 26, received a sentence of two years and six months after pleading guilty to charges related to wire fraud and illegal money transfers. The judgment was delivered by Andrew S. Hanen at a federal court.

Court documents revealed that he was part of a network that moved proceeds of fraud through an unlicensed money transmitting system. He admitted to playing a key role in facilitating financial transactions within the scheme.

Investigators said the group used business email compromise tactics to trick victims into sending money. Fraudulent emails were designed to look legitimate, making it easier to deceive companies and individuals.

One of the affected victims was a fishing company based in Australia. Authorities explained that funds obtained from such scams were routed through multiple bank accounts before being distributed among members of the syndicate.

In addition to his prison term, Omoniyi has been ordered to repay over $200,000 to victims. He is also expected to face deportation after completing his sentence, as part of the legal consequences of his conviction.