Two Nigerian nationals based in Ireland, Francis Ogbuefi, 42, and Steven Silvester, 32, have been sentenced to a combined jail term of over 16 years for their roles in what was described as a “highly sophisticated, global money laundering scheme”.
According to Raidió Teilifís Éireann on Friday, the duo were arrested and prosecuted following a lengthy investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau of Ireland.
Ogbuefi, of Clonard Road, Crumlin, Dublin, was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, while Silvester, of The Paddocks, Morristown, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence.
The pair had allegedly travelled from Nigeria to Ireland to engage in organised fraud.
The total value of the scams linked to the case was put at €6.17m, according to the report.
Both men were said to have denied the charges but were found guilty by a jury after a trial last month.
Court proceedings, according to the RTE, revealed that more than €6m was stolen and laundered through various schemes, including romance fraud and smishing, with funds moved across multiple bank accounts.
The reports disclosed that investigators found that the two men coordinated the provision and monitoring of accounts used to receive illicit funds.
Evidence was said to have shown that they received requests from across the world—many linked to Nigerian phone numbers—seeking accounts for fraudulent transactions.
The report added that data recovered from Ogbuefi’s phone detailed job specifications, transaction volumes, and account requirements.
He was said to have also been found to have instructed that accounts be opened under Irish names to avoid suspicion.
The report quoted prosecutors as saying Ogbuefi acted as a key contact for collaborators outside Ireland.
A nine-minute instructional video on how to carry out the fraud was also discovered on his device, alongside images showing him overseeing transactions and directing the group’s activities.
He reportedly took a 20 per cent cut of the proceeds and claimed to have extensive experience in the scheme.
Further evidence indicated that Ogbuefi entered Ireland as a student, while Silvester had initially lived in direct provision before becoming transient.
The presiding judge, Martin Nolan, reportedly described the operation as complex, noting that money laundering networks rely heavily on access to bank accounts.
The judge said both men demonstrated a strong understanding of banking systems, regularly testing their vulnerabilities.
While the crimes were difficult to detect, the report noted that the judge commended investigators for pursuing leads and presenting compelling evidence.
The judge also noted that the convicts had no prior criminal records and were regarded positively by their families, describing them as intelligent and capable of reform.
The case adds to a growing number of fraud-related convictions involving Nigerians abroad.
This year alone, over 100 Nigerians have been arrested in Ghana over alleged fraud and other offences.
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