Georgia Man Sentenced to Two Years for Laundering Fraudulently Obtained Money

DETROIT - A Georgia resident was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for his role in helping fraudsters steal money from both individual and business victims, some of them from Michigan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.

Christian Ogunghide, 48, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty, earlier this year, to laundering money derived from wire fraud, by United States District Judge Gershwin A. Drain.

According to Court records, in 2016-2017, through various bank accounts, Ogunghide engaged in numerous financial transactions, each transaction well over $10,000, involving over $1 million in the proceeds of wire fraud, that is, funds obtained by others through business email compromise fraud schemes and romance fraud schemes. When Ogunghide engaged in these monetary transactions, he knew that the transactions involved criminally derived property. He allowed fraudsters to use bank accounts he controlled to receive monies fraudulently taken from both individuals and businesses. He then disseminated the funds, effectively eliminating any chance the victims had to get their money back. He played a vital role in enabling the fraudsters to complete their fraud. And Ogunghide benefited immensely, including by the use of nearly $300,000 in fraudulent funds to buy himself a home that he lived in for years.

The Court ordered Ogunghide to pay $1,207,155.66 in restitution to the victims in this case. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of a Georgia home purchased with funds traceable to the fraud scheme, and entered a forfeiture money judgment of $1,206, 155.66.

United States Attorney Ison stated: “Those who enable the victimization of others need to be held accountable. As a money launderer, Ogunghide repeatedly helped to facilitate fraud. We are committed to prosecuting those who choose to enrich themselves by enabling others to commit crimes.”

"Mr. Ogunghide illicitly laundered over a million dollars obtained through fraud from victims, encompassing individuals and businesses across multiple states," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Combatting white-collar crime stands as a foremost priority for the FBI, and with the assistance of our law enforcement allies, we will persist in uncovering and dismantling financial schemes."

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick E. Corbett and Adriana Dydell. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.