A Nigerian man, Charles Nnamdi Emesim, has been sentenced to 115 months in prison in the United States for conspiracy to commit money laundering linked to a decade-long romance and internet fraud scheme that defrauded at least 23 victims of more than $700,000.

The sentence was handed down on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The statement said Emesim, 53, who is legally resident in Newark, New Jersey, was convicted for conspiracy to commit money laundering after authorities found that he received and laundered proceeds from “internet- and telephone-enabled scams,” including romance scams, lottery scams, inheritance scams, investment scams, government imposter scams, and medical expense scams.

According to the department, between December 9, 2013, and June 28, 2024, Emesim operated at least 17 bank accounts under his name and the names of his companies, Chadon Export and Chadon Trucking.

Investigators said at least 23 victims across the United States were defrauded into sending more than $700,000 through cash deposits, cashier’s checks, money transfers, and wired payments into accounts controlled by Emesim.

One of the victims, described as “a senior citizen and widow living in the Eastern District of Kentucky,” was allegedly deceived through a romance scam involving a man identified as “Michael Oliver.”

The victim was reportedly made to believe she was in a romantic relationship and was introduced to a supposed “customs agent” identified as Samuel Rock to facilitate a transfer of wealth.

According to the statement, the victim later travelled to Lexington airport in Kentucky, where she met the supposed Customs agent in person, handed him additional money, drove him to a local store, and bought him a computer tablet.

“The Court found that Emesim was the individual who impersonated ‘Customs Agent Rock’ when meeting with this victim in person,” the statement added.

Authorities said the victim lost “tens of thousands of dollars” through cash payments, cashier’s checks, prepaid debit cards, and gift cards sent to Emesim and his associates.

The Justice Department further stated that Emesim frequently withdrew victims’ funds in cash or transferred the money into accounts belonging to relatives, businesses, or family members in Nigeria.

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, described romance scams and financial fraud schemes as “predatory crimes” that rely on “deception, emotional manipulation, and calculated exploitation.”

He said the defendant “spent years helping funnel stolen money from hardworking Americans,” including an elderly victim who “was manipulated into believing she was building a genuine relationship.”

“These criminals do not see victims as people—they see them as targets,” Parman said, adding that authorities would continue to “aggressively pursue and prosecute those who exploit trust, devastate families, and profit from fraud.”

Also commenting, Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Olivia Olson, said Emesim “preyed upon trusting men and women” for more than a decade.

She added that the sentencing shows that law enforcement agencies remain committed to pursuing “criminals who operate financial scams at the expense of innocent Americans.”

During the sentencing hearing, the court described Emesim’s conduct as “heartless and unquestionably reprehensible,” saying the crimes caused severe financial, emotional, and psychological harm to victims.

Under U.S. federal law, Emesim is required to serve 85 per cent of his prison sentence and will remain under supervision for three years after release.

The case was investigated by the FBI, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf prosecuted the matter on behalf of the United States government.

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 15.69 per cent in April 2026, up from 15.38 per cent recorded in March, reflecting a 0.31 percentage point increase, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to the data released on Friday, Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 138.3 in April, marking a 2.9-point increase from 135.4 in March. The NBS said the increase followed the agency’s recent rebasing to a 2024 base year with 2023 as the weight reference period.

Despite the uptick in the annual rate, the bureau stated that the pace of price increases slowed, with month-on-month inflation easing to 2.13 per cent in April from 4.18 per cent in March.

The NBS data also shows a sharp moderation when compared with April 2025, when headline inflation was significantly higher at 26.82 per cent.

“The National Bureau of Statistics is pleased to announce the release of the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for April 2026. Following the completion of the recent rebasing exercise, this report is centred on a new CPI base year of 2024 and a weight reference period of 2023. Hence, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 138.3 in April 2026, and reflects a 2.9-point increase from the preceding month.

“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate for April 2026 stood at 15.69%, when compared to 15.38% and 26.82% recorded in March 2026 and April 2025; respectively. The month-on-month headline inflation rate in April 2026 was 2.13%, which was 2.05% lower than the rate recorded in March 2026 (4.18%),” the NBS stated.

At the divisional level, price pressures were driven mainly by Food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants and accommodation services, and transport, while recreation, alcohol and tobacco, and insurance recorded minimal impact.

“The three major contributors to the headline inflation were Food and non-alcoholic Beverages: 6.40%, Restaurants & Accommodation Services: 3.56%, and Transport: 1.70%; while the least contributors were Recreation, Sport, and Culture: 0.01%, Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco, and Narcotics: 0.01%, and Insurance and Financial Services: 0.03%,” the bureau added.

It also said food inflation stood at 16.06 per cent year-on-year in April, lower than 24.68 per cent recorded in the same period last year, while the monthly rate slowed to 3.63 per cent from 4.17 per cent in March, reflecting softer increases across key staples.

The statistics bureau further said core inflation, which excludes volatile agricultural produce and energy, came in at 15.86 per cent year-on-year, with the monthly rate dropping sharply to 1.03 per cent from 4.03 per cent in March.

Across locations, it noted that urban inflation stood at 15.40 per cent year-on-year, while rural inflation was higher at 16.36 per cent, with both segments recording slower monthly increases compared to March.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the start of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination process for change of institution and course for candidates.

The board made this known in a notice released on Friday by its spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, on X.

“Candidates wishing to change their institution or programme of choice may now proceed to do so visiting any of the Board’s approved CBT. Applicants are advised to visit any accredited CBT centre to effect the changes,” the statement read.

JAMB also said the printing of the original 2026 UTME result slip will begin on Monday, May 18, 2026.

It advised candidates to visit accredited CBT centres to print their result slips and access other related services.

The development comes weeks after the board announced the release of the 2026 UTME results, while the printing of official result slips was delayed, with candidates initially only able to check their scores via SMS.