Kenneth Emeni, Money Laundering, West Virginia 2022

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A brazen Nigerian national has been brought to justice for his role in a massive money laundering scheme.

Kenneth Emeni, a 29-year-old citizen of Nigeria residing in Martinsburg, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in a federal court. The scheme, which took place in Huntington and elsewhere, involved Emeni and his co-conspirators creating online false personas to scam victims out of their hard-earned cash.

According to court documents, Emeni’s role in the conspiracy was to allow victims to transfer money to his bank account, which he knew was from unlawful activity. He would then keep some of the money for himself and forward the rest to his co-conspirators via wire transfers or Zelle. The scheme resulted in Emeni receiving approximately $42,050 from his co-conspirators’ transfers and transferring approximately $46,197 to his co-conspirators during the money laundering conspiracy.

Emeni’s greed knew no bounds, as he and his co-conspirators transferred large sums of their fraud proceeds to offshore accounts. From 2018 until 2020, Emeni transferred over $358,846 to accounts in Nigeria and Ghana.

Emeni faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 11, 2022. As part of his plea agreement, Emeni agreed to pay $904,126.96 in restitution. The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov/.

The case highlights the importance of vigilance when it comes to online scams. As the elderly are often targeted by these schemes, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is available to provide support and assistance. The hotline can be reached at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) and is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers.

United States Attorney Will Thompson commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department for their tireless efforts in bringing Emeni to justice.

Assistant United States Attorneys R. Gregory McVey and Kathleen Robeson are handling the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-0068 (Emeni, et al).

Related Federal Cases