US Prosecutors Seek Two-Decade Prison Term for Nigerian National Accused of Wire Fraud Scheme

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A Nigerian man has been indicted by a United States federal grand jury for allegedly conspiring to embezzle funds from a casino owned by a Native American tribe in South Dakota.

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The indictment, announced in a statement by the United States Department of Justice on Wednesday, named Kenneth Godwin on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Unauthorised Access to a Protected Computer in Furtherance of Fraud.

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According to the US DOJ, Godwin, believed to be living in Nigeria, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and a $250,000 fine upon conviction, in addition to three years of supervised release and a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

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According to the statement, Godwin conspired with others between May 2023 and March 2026 to embezzle funds from the Prairie Wind Casino & Hotel in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, a business owned and operated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

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Parsons said the Federal Bureau of Investigation would pursue suspects regardless of their location.

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“No agency on earth is better at this than the FBI. They will track down those who steal from and commit fraud against the people of the United States wherever those offenders may be,” he said.

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FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson described the scheme as a business email compromise operation that caused substantial financial damage to the tribe.

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“This international business e-mail compromise scheme caused substantial financial damage to a business owned and operated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

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“This indictment is an example of how the FBI operates every day to dismantle and disrupt criminal enterprises in Indian County and across the United States that target businesses and citizens in communities. The message is clear; we will work with our partners to hold fraudsters accountable,” he said.

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The US DOJ noted that the charges are merely accusations, and Godwin is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, with Assistant US Attorney Ben Patterson prosecuting the case.

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