NIGERIANS JAILED FOR LAUNDERING MONEY WITH 752 BANK ACCOUNTS

A womanising Nigerian fraudster who hijacked the identities of soldiers and nurses in a $1.3 million benefits plot has been jailed in the UK for six years.

Uzoma-Ubani and another Nigerian partner in crime opened 752 bank accounts to perpetrate the fraud.

Chibuikem Uzoma-Ubani, 29, persuaded several lovers to help him launder the profits from the swindle that targeted tax credits and Sure Start maternity grants.

Denisa Camacho, 28, of Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, and Katrina Papiernikova, 27, of Romford, Essex both had relationships with Uzoma-Ubani, after arriving in the UK from Slovakia and were accused of turning a blind eye to his activities.



Uzoma-Ubani, of Romford, Essex, married Camacho in 2004, then divorced her and had two children by Papiernikova.

The women both insisted they knew nothing about his crooked schemes and were both cleared of money laundering, but a third lover Ornela Miguel, 26, admitted the offence. Uzoma-Ubani and fellow Nigerian Leonard Nwannenah, 33, of Dagenham, Essex, opened a ‘bewildering’ 752 bank accounts using the names of hard-working medics and members of the armed forces over a six-year period.

The pair were jailed Monday for six years each while Miguel was handed a three-month sentence, suspended for 12 months.

The prosecutor added that Uzoma-Ubani had 159 bank accounts, either in his name or an alias, and police seized £200,000 from them. Leonard Nwannenah controlled at least 42 accounts and admitted he had used many more after illegally entering the country.

“The total number of bank accounts was 752, used in the identity frauds,” said Mr Finnigan.

“Of those 752, 282 and were active accounts in that they received the proceeds of the frauds, and during the course of the investigation over £1 million had passed through them.

“The remaining 360 or so accounts were being prepared for future frauds.”

752 BANK ACCOUNTS!!!!! HOW WERE THEY ABLE TO MEMORIZE ACCOUNT DETAILS

Tangled web: Papiernikova and Uzoma-Ubani's ex wife Denisa Camacho, pictured, insisted they knew nothing about his crooked schemes

In on it: Uzoma-Ubani's third lover Ornela Miguel, left, admitted money laundering, while Jennifer Okonkwo, right, admitted she had allowed her bank account to be used to launder money

Accomplices: Leonard Nwannenah, right, helped Uzoma-Ubani to open 752 bank accounts while his younger brother Okechi Nwannenah, left, admitted he had allowed his bank account to be used

Chibuikem Uzoma-Ubani, left, was jailed for six years for money laundering while the mother of his two children, Katrina Papiernikova, right, was cleared