Olayiwola Matthew
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama has sentenced Babatunde Ayeni, a Nigerian internet fraudster, to 10 years in prison, alongside a restitution order of nearly $20 million for victims of his fraudulent activities.
Ayeni, who pleaded guilty to charges of internet fraud, received the 120-month sentence after admitting his role in a series of scams. The judge, Terry Moorer, also imposed a restitution order of $19,599,969 to compensate the individuals and businesses defrauded by Ayeni, although the court waived the interest typically applied to restitution, citing Ayeni’s inability to pay.
Although Ayeni ceased his fraudulent activities in April 2019, he was still held accountable for his past crimes. Along with his co-conspirators, Feyisayo Oyindola Oginsanwo and Yusuf Olasunkanmi Lasisi, Ayeni was ordered to pay restitution for the financial harm caused by their actions.
The U.S. immigration authorities will determine whether Ayeni will be deported immediately following his prison sentence or if he will remain in the U.S. under three years of supervised release, subject to stringent conditions.
Ayeni’s conviction adds to a growing list of Nigerian fraudsters sentenced by U.S. courts in recent years, including notorious figures like Bola Bobo Chicago, Ray Hushpuppi, and Abidemi Rufai. These cases have drawn significant attention to internet fraud originating from Nigeria, with Ayeni’s sentence further underscoring the international reach of such scams.