The U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, handed down sentences ranging from probation to over three years in prison, to six former college athletes for their roles in an elaborate international fraud scheme.
At the center of this scandal are Uyoyo Mercy Abire, once a promising long jumper at Louisiana State University, and Raymond Ekevwo, a former sprinter at the University of Florida who was also a former Nigerian 100m national champion.
Abire, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, received a 41-month prison sentence. Ekevwo, convicted of aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmission business, was hit with an even harsher 46-month term.
The case, which unfolded between 2018 and 2022, involved a complex web of romance scams, fraudulent goods schemes, and military scams orchestrated by Nigeria-based fraudsters. The athletes, leveraging their positions and connections in the United States, served as crucial links in the money laundering chain.
“These individuals exploited their status as student-athletes to facilitate a massive fraud operation,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee. “Their actions not only betrayed the trust of their universities but also caused significant harm to countless victims across the nation.”
The full list of defendants and their sentences paints a sobering picture:
- Uyoyo Mercy Abire (LSU): 41 months in prison, 3 years supervised release
- Raymond Ekevwo (University of Florida): 46 months in prison, 3 years supervised release
- Toluwani Adebakin (William Carey University): 36 months in prison, 3 years supervised release
- Aniekeme Etim (William Carey University): 3 years probation, $74,847.52 fine, $123,116.50 restitution
- Ngoni Chadyiwa (William Carey University): 3 years probation
- Emmanuel Ineh (William Carey University and University of Alabama): Time served, 3 years supervised release
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff revealed the staggering scope of the operation: “Our investigation uncovered that these defendants received funds from over 100 victims and funneled more than $820,000 overseas. This case serves as a stark reminder that we will relentlessly pursue anyone involved in defrauding American citizens, regardless of their public profile or athletic prowess.”
While the court documents indicate that the athletes did not directly contact the fraud victims, their role in receiving and transferring funds was crucial to the scheme’s success. Each defendant has been ordered to pay restitution to the victims from whom they personally received funds, a move aimed at providing some measure of justice to those affected.
The case has also raised questions about the vulnerabilities that international student-athletes may face. All six defendants, hailing from Nigeria and Zimbabwe, now face the additional punishment of potential deportation or removal from the United States.
