Sulemon Arowokoko, a 32-year-old Nigerian, was sentenced to 44 months in prison for identity theft by a jury in the United States of America on Tuesday.
US District Judge Nicolas Ranjan found Arowokoko guilty of conspiracy, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to US Attorney Cindy K. Chung.
The aggravated fraud was probed by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Justice Ranjan handed the term on Arowokoko of Pittsburgh, Pa., for his role in inducing financial institutions to issue credit and debit cards on victim clients’ accounts using stolen identity information.
In two years, Arowokoko used those fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards to purchase more than $250,000 worth of gift cards, clothes, jewelry, cologne, perfume, furniture, and other items, some of which were shipped to Nigeria, according to Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Bengal, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the US government.
US Attorney Cindy Chung, who assumed charge on Tuesday, lauded Homeland Security Investigations and the US Postal Inspection Service for their thorough investigation that resulted to Arowokoko’s conviction.
