Kizito Chukwujekwu, Bank Fraud Conspiracy, NH 2024

CONCORD, NH – Kizito Chukwujekwu, 38, of Morrow, Georgia, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 21 months for his role in a brazen bank fraud conspiracy. Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced the sentence today, bringing a degree of closure to a scheme that stretched across state lines and bilked banks out of nearly $70,000.

Court documents detail a calculated operation spanning from June 2016 to August 2017. Chukwujekwu, along with accomplices, opened at least ten fraudulent bank accounts in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Georgia. The accounts weren’t opened with legitimate credentials; instead, the crew utilized the stolen identification information of unsuspecting individuals. This wasn’t a smash-and-grab – it was a slow bleed, designed to exploit the lag between deposit and verification.

The scheme involved depositing bogus checks into these compromised accounts. While the funds *appeared* available, before banks could confirm the checks were worthless, Chukwujekwu’s co-conspirators swiftly withdrew cash. The total damage? Over $119,000 in fraudulent checks deposited, with over $69,000 successfully pilfered. This wasn’t victimless; it’s money banks ultimately absorb, impacting customers and the financial system as a whole.

Chukwujekwu pleaded guilty on July 13, 2021. The court didn’t just hand down a prison sentence. He’s also been ordered to pay restitution totaling $69,168.25 – a small measure of recompense for the damage inflicted. This isn’t his first accomplice to face justice; Chinedu Ihejiere received a 25-month sentence on January 3, 2020, for participating in the same criminal enterprise.

“Financial fraud schemes cause real damage to their victims,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “We work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify those who are responsible for committing bank fraud and other fraud offenses. As this case demonstrates, those who come to New Hampshire to commit fraud schemes will be prosecuted aggressively and will find themselves in federal prison.” The message is clear: crossing state lines doesn’t offer immunity.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta minced no words: “Fueled by nothing more than pure and simple greed, Kizito Chukwujekwu and his co-conspirators stole tens of thousands of dollars from people they figured would never miss it. However, he was clearly wrong.” He added, “This case demonstrates how the FBI, and our partners won’t stand for criminals who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of innocent Americans.” The investigation was a joint effort by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter prosecuting the case.

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