Texas Man Gets 27 Months for Chickasaw Nation Health Fraud

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – A brazen scheme to siphon funds from the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health has landed a Texas man in federal prison. Nnamdi Felix Udeagha, 39, of Humble, Texas, received a 27-month sentence today after pleading guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. He’s also been ordered to cough up $214,908.34 in restitution – a paltry sum considering the damage done.

The investigation, spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, revealed a meticulously planned operation spanning from April to December 2021. Udeagha didn’t act alone. He conspired with others to trick the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health into wiring payments to fraudulent bank accounts. The method? Bogus emails, crafted to look like they came from a legitimate vendor, instructing officials to send money to accounts opened by the conspirators.

Udeagha’s role wasn’t about technical wizardry, but providing the critical infrastructure for the scam: the bank account information. He fed the co-conspirator, the one sending the deceitful emails, the details needed to receive and distribute the stolen funds. It was a simple, cynical plan, and it worked – until the FBI got involved. This wasn’t some sophisticated hack; it was good old-fashioned fraud, amplified by the anonymity of the internet.

“This defendant tried to hide in the shadows of the internet to steal money from the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health, which was needed for vital medical programs and services,” stated FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The FBI is committed to holding fraudsters accountable for the harm they cause the American people and our government institutions.” Goodwater’s words are strong, but will they deter others? The grift is always tempting.

United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson echoed that sentiment. “Fraudsters like the defendant employ email compromise schemes to prey on even the most sophisticated business enterprises,” he said. “I commend the FBI for the skilled investigative work which uncovered Udeagha’s criminal enterprise, and the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health for its work with law enforcement. This sentence demonstrates the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to pursuing white collar criminals who seek to exploit businesses in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge, presided over the hearing. Udeagha is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, awaiting transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to begin serving his non-paroleable sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster and T. Cameron McEwen secured the conviction. While 27 months is a start, it remains to be seen if this sentence will truly disrupt the network of criminals preying on vulnerable institutions like the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health.”

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