Nigerian long jumper, Mercy Abire, may face up to 20 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in the United States.
28-year-old Abire alongside Nigeria’s former men’s 100m champion, Raymond Ekevwo and Aniekeme Etim, were said to have utilised various fraudulent schemes between 2018 and 2022 to defraud unsuspecting victims.
According to the court documents presented during the trial, the trio masterminded online romance scams, online charity scams and other deceptive tactics, which generated substantial sums of money.
The gains were then transferred among the conspirators, with a considerable portion of the funds being sent overseas.
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Abire was said to have transferred over $100,000 to her co-conspirators through her U.S. bank account from November 2018 to April 2019.
This substantial involvement in the financial dealings led to her being implicated in the money laundering operation.
U.S. Attorney, Darren LaMarca, who oversaw the case, revealed that the FBI conducted a thorough investigation into the matter.
Abire, following her plea, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2023, and she now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
The final decision rests with a Federal District judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors in determining her fate.
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