Two Nigerians sentenced for €6m money laundering in Ireland
Two Nigerian nationals, Francis Ogbuefi and Steven Silvester, have been sentenced to over 16 years in jail for their involvement in a large-scale money laundering scheme in Ireland. The two men were found guilty by a jury after a trial and linked to scams totalling more than €6 million. Investigators uncovered evidence of sophisticated fraud operations, including romance scams and smishing, with funds moved through various accounts. Both men were described as intelligent, with no prior criminal records, and were considered capable of reform by the presiding judge.
What happened
- Francis Ogbuefi received a nine-year prison sentence, while Steven Silvester was sentenced to seven and a half years.
- The pair coordinated the provision and monitoring of accounts used to receive illicit funds, with requests coming from around the world.
- Evidence from Ogbuefi’s phone included job specifications, transaction details, and an instructional video on carrying out fraud.
- The judge highlighted the complexity of the operation and praised investigators for their thorough work.
- Both men were regarded positively by their families and had no previous criminal records.
