LABELED A LOOTER, NOW A SENATOR:

WE have documentary evidence to show a former Nigerian Governor, CHIMAROKE NNAMANI stole $41million in last days of administration-F.B.I

…Secretly obtained United States citizenship within 8 years in office, launder funds into 20 American bank account, moved another $961,184.27 in 21 tranches just four days leading to the end of his two-term tenure from Enugu State Government House on May 29, 2007

*Pilfered illicit funds through eight Nigerian banks as follows: $63,964 from Platinum Habib Bank in Nigeria to AmSouth Bank Florida account number 7966914620; moved $64,964 from Platinum Habib Bank to AmSouth Bank Florida account number 7966914620; moved $56,189 from Platinum Habib Bank to AmSouth Bank Florida account number 7966914647; transferred $25,772 from Fidelity Bank to AmSouth Bank Florida account 7966914655; and wired $21,975 from Sterling Bank to AmSouth Bank  Florida account 7966914728

*On February 22, 2007, Nnamani paid a total of $1,800,000 in cash to buy a property at 1972 Bridgewater Drive, Heathrow, Florida, Co-conspirator named in fraud: Peter Mbah, Sam Ejiofor and Chika Ohaa 

*Judge Williams Acker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ordered forfeitures of Nnamani’s assets to the U.S. government

* “The defendant funds held on deposit in the twenty named bank accounts are the subjects of, or otherwise were involved in numerous financial transactions conducted by, or at the direction of Chimaroke Nnamani for the purpose of concealing or disguising the nature, the location, the source, the ownership or the control of the proceeds of ‘specified unlawful activity’ in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)1(1). Therefore, the defendant funds are subject to forfeiture to the United States of America pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A)”-F.B.I Affidavit

*BY OLAYEMI ADEGBOLADE/SPECIAL ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING Correspondent, Nigeria & GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN Senior Investigative Editor

FOR EIGHT YEARS (1999-2007), he was governor of Enugu State, CHIMAROKE NNAMANI, now a sitting Senator allegedly stole a hefty sum of money meant to build schools, build bridges, provide basic amenity for the people in the sum of over $41million discreetly stashed away in many Nigerian banks, transferred to other bank in Orlando, Florida, United States where he acquired luxury assets with the ill-gotten wealth. Sadly, Nnamani is now a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, making laws for Africa’s most populous black nation in the world. Going by his unlimited access to funds, he secretly obtained United States citizenship while in power then as a governor. All these allegations were corroborated in the affidavit submitted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, F.B.I. in court.

A United States Court ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation, F.B.I to seize about $1 million stolen by Nigerian Senator, Nnamani as part of the funds he allegedly laundered days before leaving office as Enugu governor in 2007.

The FBI stated this in a forfeiture proceeding in court documents which were obtained by Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA.

Nnamani was alleged to have stolen the funds from Enugu state coffers and used proxies to wire-transfer them from Nigerian banks to bank accounts he fraudulently opened with AmSouth Bank in Orlando, Florida, the forfeiture affidavits submitted by special agents of the FBI had read.

The previously unreported fraud cases were instituted against him before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama barely days after he left office in May 2007 and wound up two years later in May 2009.

The FBI said Nnamani, who was elected governor and sworn in as Nigeria returned to civil rule in May 1999, started looting Enugu treasury by early august. Although the FBI and Nigerian anti-graft office EFCC seized property and cash assets laundered by Mr Nnamani in separate proceedings in the U.S. and Nigeria, respectively, both law enforcement authorities said they have yet to determine how much the Nigerian politician actually plundered from his state while its residents languished in poverty.

While the FBI was only able to trace about $41.8 million in stolen funds that Nnamani laundered abroad, the EFCC successfully confiscated billions of naira from the Nigerian senator, who also carries American citizenship, including the N5.3 billion seized via a federal court order in July 2015.

From the latest documents obtained by our correspondents, American authorities said Nnamani moved $961,184.27 in 21 tranches in the course of four days leading to his departure from Enugu State Government House as he concluded his two-term mandate due on May 29, 2007.

On March 15, 16, 21, and 30, 2007, Mr Nnamani pilfered the illicit funds through eight Nigerian banks, including Standard Chartered Bank, Fidelity Bank, Sterling Bank and since-defunct Platinum Habib Bank (PHB), to the U.S. AmSouth Bank (now Regions Bank), where Mr Nnamani had previously opened 20 accounts with Chinero Nwigwe, his sister and alleged co-conspirator.

Some of the 21 fraudulent transactions listed in the FBI complaint filed in October 2007 included $63,964 on March 15 from Platinum Habib Bank in Nigeria to AmSouth Bank account number 7966914620; $64,964 on March 15 from Platinum Habib Bank to AmSouth Bank account number 7966914620; $56,189 from Platinum Habib Bank to AmSouth Bank account number 7966914647 on March 15; $25,772 from Fidelity Bank to AmSouth Bank account 7966914655 on March 15; and $21,975 wired on March 21 from Sterling Bank to AmSouth Bank account 7966914728.

The FBI said nearly two dozen companies linked to Nnamani were used to move the stolen funds, including Jasmine Group, Rock City Group, Hill Gate LLC, Parmon Oil and Gas Ltd, Boskel Nigeria Ltd, Rainbow Assoc. LLC, Tollman Allied Services, Capital Index Ltd, Universal-Sodexho Nigeria Ltd, Intecon Partnership Ltd, The Ferguson Group LLC, Elizabeth Group LLC.

“It is unlikely that Chimaroke Nnamani possesses an adequate source of legitimate income to account for the acquisition of the defendant funds. Additional investigation has failed to identify a legitimate source of income for Chinero Nwigwe to account for the transfer of funds alleged herein.”

 “The defendant funds held on deposit in the twenty named bank accounts are the subjects of, or otherwise were involved in numerous financial transactions conducted by, or at the direction of Chimaroke Nnamani for the purpose of concealing or disguising the nature, the location, the source, the ownership or the control of the proceeds of “specified unlawful activity” in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)1(1).

“Therefore, the defendant funds are subject to forfeiture to the United States of America pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A),” the FBI further stated in its affidavit.

When it became apparent that the Nigerian politician’s legitimate earnings could not account for the millions of dollars in his possession after a drawn forfeiture proceeding that spanned about two years, Judge William Acker issued a consolidated ruling ordering the seizure of the illicit funds as well as forfeitures of Mr Nnamani’s assets to the U.S. government on May 13, 2009.

Acquired American citizenship secretly as Enugu State Governor:

The FBI stated this in a forfeiture proceeding in court documents which were obtained by Peoples Gazette. He allegedly looted and laundered $41.8 million during his days as Enugu State governor and used the ill-gotten riches to acquire luxury assets in Florida, according to a statement submitted by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The 2009 complaint seen by Peoples Gazette said Nnamani, whom the FBI described as an American citizen, connived with his sister Chinero Nwigwe to steal public funds when he led Enugu State between May 1999 and May 2007.

The FBI stated this in a forfeiture proceeding in court documents which were obtained by Peoples Gazette.

The 2009 complaint seen by Peoples Gazette said Nnamani, whom the FBI described as an American citizen, connived with his sister Chinero Nwigwe to steal public funds when he led Enugu State between May 1999 and May 2007.

Peter Mbah, Sam Ejiofor and Chika Ohaa were also named in the court documents as Mr Nnamani’s co-conspirators.

The FBI said Nnamani, a medical doctor, stole $41.868,877.05 in one of several illicit schemes he pulled as Enugu governor. Authorities said the money was about N5.3 billion at the time, but it’s now worth around N31 billion.

The FBI had argued that “Chimaroke Nnamani’s official salary as governor is the equivalent of $10,670 per year; thus, it appears unlikely that Nnamani possesses an adequate source of legitimate income to account for the purchase” of the lush real estate he amassed in Florida.

Judge Williams Acker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ordered forfeitures of Nnamani’s assets to the U.S. government after finding that the Nigerian politician was not earning enough as governor to justify the millions of dollars in his possession.

Nnamani, who has recently cut himself as a moral, prudent leader devoid of corrupt practices long typical of a Nigerian politician, did not return. 

American authorities further stated that Nnamani was “involved in a scheme to defraud the State of Enugu, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in violation of Nigerian law since at least 2003 and continuing until at least 2005.”

Nnamani opened 20 bank accounts with AmSouth Bank in Orlando, Florida, where he stashed his loot even while serving as governor and was fully aware that it was illegal to maintain bank accounts abroad as an elected public official in Nigeria.

Nnamani had set up a firm Rock City Group, LLC, to carry out the fraud, documents said.

Parts of the stolen funds were used to lock down posh assets in Florida, with authorities stating Nnamani paid $1.8 million in cash to buy his Heathrow residence.

“On February 22, 2007, Nnamani paid a total of $1,800,000 in cash” to buy a property at 1972 Bridgewater Drive, Heathrow, Florida, filings said.

Following a lengthy trial that began in July 2007, Judge Acker granted the FBI’s request to forfeit all properties linked to Nnamani’s fraud to the U.S. government on May 13, 2009.

It was not immediately clear whether or not Nnamani’s successors tried to pursue repatriation of his loot to the state, which has less than N150 billion in an annual budget that is largely unfunded.

It was also unclear whether or not the FBI filed separate criminal charges against Nnamani, but the Nigerian politician had faced separate forfeiture proceedings in Nigeria and lost, especially in 2015 when a federal judge ordered forfeiture of some multi-billion Naira assets linked to him in Nigeria. 

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