Nigerian Legal Practitioner Faces Over 30 Years in Prison for Using Fictitious Names to Acquire 20 Properties.

Nigerian Legal Practitioner Faces Over 30 Years in Prison for Using Fictitious Names to Acquire 20 Properties.

The news as it trends.

Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, a Nigerian attorney, recently appeared in a Federal Court in Miami, Florida, where he is facing allegations of wire fraud and conspiracy.

He is accused of masterminding a fraudulent scheme to secure loans for the acquisition of 20 residential properties in Florida.

This alleged fraud, which took place between 2005 and 2008, resulted in an $8 million loss to U.S. financial institutions.

After being arrested in Nigeria in 2024, Odunna was extradited to the United States in March 2025.

If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each charge, with legal proceedings currently underway.

During the period in question, Odunna, who was a licensed attorney, reportedly collaborated with co-conspirators to submit fraudulent loan applications and documents to U.S. financial institutions.

These submissions included fictitious borrower names, inflated property sale prices, and deceptive information regarding the disbursement of funds.

At the time of the alleged offenses, Odunna was not only a licensed attorney in Florida but also held the position of director at Direct Title and Escrow Services, Inc.

He was apprehended in Nigeria on September 24, 2024, following a request for extradition from the United States.

The extradition was facilitated by cooperation between Nigerian authorities and the U.S. Justice Department, and Odunna was brought to the Southern District of Florida on March 6, 2025, after he waived his right to contest the extradition.