$575,000 Credit Card Scam: Nigerian, wife risk 50 years in US prison
A United States-based Nigerian, Opeyemi Olujobi, and his wife, Jennie Davidson, are facing up to 50 years in prison after being arrested over an alleged large-scale credit card fraud scheme in New York.
According to a statement by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, the couple was arrested in Poughkeepsie and is expected to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in White Plains.
Prosecutors allege that the defendants were part of a coordinated conspiracy that used stolen identities to gain access to hundreds of credit card accounts, resulting in unauthorised transactions exceeding $500,000.
The statement said the suspects allegedly impersonated legitimate cardholders using sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and home addresses.
From May 2023 through October 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly contacted a publicly traded consumer financial services company and gained access to more than 200 store credit card accounts.
After gaining access, they are said to have altered account details, redirecting card deliveries to multiple addresses in Hopewell Junction, New York, including their residence, before reporting the cards as lost or stolen.
Prosecutors further alleged that once replacement cards were issued, the suspects used them at various retail outlets to purchase gift cards and merchandise worth approximately $575,000.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the defendants conducting some of these transactions.
The indictment also alleges that in some instances, the suspects contacted financial institutions to increase credit limits or approve declined transactions to continue their spending.
Authorities further claim that Davidson laundered part of the proceeds through an online betting platform before transferring funds into her personal account.
Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, offences that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years each. Davidson also faces additional money laundering charges, which carry up to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors stressed that the charges are allegations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The case adds to a growing list of financial crime prosecutions involving Nigerian nationals abroad, including recent convictions and guilty pleas in related fraud schemes across the United States.
