John Muriuku Wamuigah, a 36-year-old citizen of Kenya, was sentenced on Mar. 19 by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to approximately 23 months of imprisonment, time already served, for his involvement in a business email compromise scheme that operated across several countries including the United States.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about cyber-enabled financial crimes targeting businesses and individuals worldwide. Business email compromise schemes often result in significant financial losses and can affect organizations across various sectors.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wamuigah worked with Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, a Nigerian national who masterminded the operation. The group targeted specific individuals and companies by posing as trustworthy entities through electronic communications to obtain money. They used both unwitting and witting ‘money mules,’ including victims of romance scams, to receive fraudulent proceeds into their bank accounts before transferring those funds or converting them into cash for further transfer.
Victims included organizations such as a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, and a New York-based food and beverage company among others. The total losses and intended losses from the scheme exceeded $12 million.
Wamuigah’s role involved altering or forging invoices, contracts, and wire transfer instructions at Osuji’s direction to deceive victims into sending money to accounts controlled by the conspirators. He was arrested in Malaysia in 2022 at the request of U.S. authorities and extradited to the United States in 2025. On October 17, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Wamuigah will be transferred to ICE custody for removal proceedings back to Kenya.
Other members of the conspiracy have also been convicted: Osuji was found guilty by a jury on May 1, 2024 and sentenced on December 4 that year to eight years’ imprisonment; co-conspirator Tolulope Bodunde received a two-year sentence on October 15, 2024.
The investigation involved cooperation between multiple agencies including the FBI New Haven Field Office and Stamford Police Department with support from international partners such as Royal Malaysia Police and Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers.
