Courts / Dublin / Report
Nigerian 'Colonel and Major' get combined 16.5 years over 'worldwide, breathtaking' money laundering racket
Summary
Ejike Francis Ogubefi and Steven Silvester were sentenced after convictions for directing a criminal organisation and laundering or attempting to launder money through multiple accounts. The court described a sophisticated international operation and imposed nine years on Ogubefi and seven and a half years on Silvester.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Nigerian 'Colonel and Major' get combined 16.5 years over 'worldwide, breathtaking' money laundering racket. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 2021 Other
- December 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 2021 Other
- January 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2026-03-20 Publication
Why: "These bank accounts are absolutely necessary for all fraud, because monies have to come to earth somewhere," the judge said, noting that the defendants' main role was to procure bank accounts so that money could be sent to others who profited. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: Imposing sentence today, Judge Nolan noted that the scheme's ambition was to "get accounts to launder illicit monies" which were "undoubtedly the product of criminal behaviour" and that third parties unknown to the court suffered as a result. "Both men were reasonably experienced in how the banking system works" and aware of its weaknesses which they tested, sometimes successfully, the judge said. He handed Ogubefi a sentence of nine years and imposed a seven-and-half year sentence on Silvester, whom he considered to be at a lower level.
Convicted Person
Outcome: Imposing sentence today, Judge Nolan noted that the scheme's ambition was to "get accounts to launder illicit monies" which were "undoubtedly the product of criminal behaviour" and that third parties unknown to the court suffered as a result. "Both men were reasonably experienced in how the banking system works" and aware of its weaknesses which they tested, sometimes successfully, the judge said. He handed Ogubefi a sentence of nine years and imposed a seven-and-half year sentence on Silvester, whom he considered to be at a lower level.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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