Chimaroke Nnamani stole $41.8 million from Enugu, paid millions of dollars in cash for Florida properties: FBI

Previously unreported U.S. court filings said the Nigerian senator forfeited assets in one of several illicit schemes he pulled as Enugu governor from 1999-2007.

ADEFEMOLA AKINTADE • OCTOBER 4, 2022

former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani
Former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani Nigerian Senator Chimaroke Nnamani looted and laundered $41.8 million during his days as Enugu governor and used the ill-gotten riches to acquire luxury assets in Florida, according to a statement submitted by the FBI in a forfeiture proceeding that was recently obtained by Peoples Gazette.

The 2009 complaint seen by The Gazette said Mr Nnamani, whom the FBI described as an American citizen, connived with his sister Chinero Nwigwe to steal public funds when he led Enugu 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 Mr 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 today.

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 William Acker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ordered forfeitures of Mr 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.

Mr Nnamani, who has recently cut himself as a moral, prudent leader devoid of corrupt practices long typical of a Nigerian politician, did not return The Gazette’s request seeking comments about his U.S. corruption case, which has gone unreported until now and comes days after he was nominated as a senior member of the presidential campaign council of Bola Tinubu.

Although it was unclear whether or not Mr Nnamani has accepted Mr Tinubu’s job offer to serve in the All Progressives Congress’ presidential campaign despite being a senator and member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, his failure to publicly comment on the development more than a week after it was announced has left even his staunch allies confused as to where he stands in Nigeria’s general elections coming up in February 2023.

American authorities further stated that Mr 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.”

Mr 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. Mr 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 Mr 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 proper 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 Mr Nnamani’s fraud to the U.S. government on May 13, 2009.

It was not immediately clear whether or not Mr 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. A spokesman for the state’s current administration did not return a request seeking comments.

It was also unclear whether or not the FBI filed separate criminal charges against Mr 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 multibillion-naira assets linked to him in Nigeria.


https://gazettengr.com/chimaroke-nnamani-stole-41-8-million-from-enugu-paid-millions-of-dollars-in-cash-for-florida-properties-fbi/

---

He just acted like baba agbado Tinubu

Birds of the same feather flock together, am sure na jagaban chop agent money for that house

The most shocking revelation here (even though I have seen it in the past) is the indictment of the present PDP governorship candidate for Enugu state; Peter Mbah, alonsige other members of Chimaroke's kitchen cabinets of embezzlers...


Umu Enugu are wiser now, we are not going back to the days of Ebeano where anarchy reigned Supreme.

Time for them to chop his head off and place it on a spike in the middle of the busiest road in Alaigbo because he dared to tell his people the truth!!

Igbos hate anyone that tells them what exactly their problem is, including their own sons and daughters.

Any wonder this crook have been trying frantically to defend the fellow bullion vans crook?

Ebeano1 forever.
I belong to Ebeano family

omenka:
Time for them to chop his head off and place it on a spike in the middle of the busiest road in Alaigbo because he dared to tell his people the truth!

Igbos hate anyone that tells them what exactly their problem is, including their own sons and daughters.

My STFU! Everyone know how Chimaroke Nnamani instituted the reign of terror to heavily embezzled Enugu State funds to acquire Ebeano Housing Estate and other fraudulently acquires assets that were retrieved from him by the EFCC.

Sane people in alaigbo don't condone any shitty emilokan kind of criminal because of nah our person. Orji Uzor Kalu, Ekweremadu, Andy Ubah collect am wotowoto.What are you doing about you people being killed in Benue?

They mentioned the 10,000$ that he received as salary every year...

That it is not sufficient to explain the governors Loot....

But the EFCC and FBI are not mentioning the Security votes that Nigerian Governors receive every month..

Security votes alone is more than 1 million dollars every month and not all of that money is spent on security...

Nobody questions Nigerian Governors on how they spend that money...

Even in the Current Economic Depression of the nation, they are still receiving Security votes....

Security votes is Nigerian Governors pocket money...

A governor that collects 1 million dollars security votes every month for 8 years

and Kick backs from Awarded Contracts for 8 years

and the Siphoning of IGR for 8 years would definitely pay 1.8 million dollars cash for a Florida Property.

Out of all notable igbo politicians....... it's only a renowned crook in the person of Ebeano that supports Tinubu.

What a fortuitous coincidence

We are tired of hearing there stole this there stole that. Yet they are roaming free like birds. If the law can't indict them then please allow us hear word. Atiku that is wanted in the USA for crimes is running for president, Tinubu a well known drug lord is contesting for president the list goes on and on. So what should we do??

omenka:
Time for them to chop his head off and place it on a spike in the middle of the busiest road in Alaigbo because he dared to tell his people the truth!!

Igbos hate anyone that tells them what exactly their problem is, including their own sons and daughters.

APC supporters are manufacturers of lies..

The article was published on gazette by author named ADEFEMOLA AKINTADE. Is he an Igbo man?


FBI is founded by Igbo people?


For your information, FBI is an American organization. Spend more time to learn than hating Igbo people.

One day, you will still blame Igbo people when you suffer from erectile dysfunction.

And none of those who took over from him said a word

Tinubu right hand man

Thank u sir.
Biko, how much did Peter obi steal?

This is not journalism, but character assassination or vendetta, spurned by this man's recent declaration of support for a particular candidate. Gazette is not wise at all — they're only interested in amassing thousands of retweets and popularity which don't bring any traffic to their website.

Ebeano guys finished enugu...combined with violence, assasination, thuggery. I hate those guys.

omenka:
Time for them to chop his head off and place it on a spike in the middle of the busiest road in Alaigbo because he dared to tell his people the truth!!

Igbos hate anyone that tells them what exactly their problem is, including their own sons and daughters.

Are you defending him even if it's true what he did.. Why tribalism do us like this

Nothing will happen to him as far as Nigeria is concerned.

Useless country.

Countries wey rich pass Una no dey use their money play but poverty capital of the world is ever ready to pamper thieves and corrupt elites.

RenaissanceGuy:
This is not journalism, but character assassination or vendetta, spurned by this man's recent declaration of support for a particular candidate. Gazette is not wise at all — they're only interested in amassing thousands of retweets and popularity which doesn't bring any traffic to their website.

FBI is doing character assassination? We have seen how wise you are.

Like his tribesmen the Pandora kleptomaniac criminal Peter Obi u mean

Mirabella00:

---

He just acted like baba agbado Tinubu

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Ebeano guys finished enugu...combined with violence, assasination, thuggery. I hate those guys.

Enugu is a cursed backward useless worthless shithole state

omenka:
Time for them to chop his head off and place it on a spike in the middle of the busiest road in Alaigbo because he dared to tell his people the truth!!

Igbos hate anyone that tells them what exactly their problem is, including their own sons and daughters.

Stop talking nonsense

MasterJayJay:


APC supporters are manufacturers of lies..

The article was published on gazette by author named ADEFEMOLA AKINTADE. Is he an Igbo man?


FBI is founded by Igbo people?


For your information, FBI is an American organization. Spend more time to learn than hating Igbo people.

One day, you will still blame Igbo people when you suffer from erectile dysfunction.

Omenka once stated that an Igbo man by name udene raped his mother years ago. I suspect that is his reason for the hatred towards anything Igbo

Release all those who have stolen public funds.
Thank you FBI

See Peter muah is vying to be governor of Enugu State. What in the name of God is wrong with Enugu State folks

He just functioned like baba agbado politicians

Nnamani is a bloody criminal, thief and cultist.

The buffoon was trying to bamboozle his fellow retar.ds with big grammatical words that he cannot reproduce if given a public address system.

Udele nwuru anwu.

omenka:
Time for them to chop his head off and place it on a spike in the middle of the busiest road in Alaigbo because he dared to tell his people the truth!!

Igbos hate anyone that tells them what exactly their problem is, including their own sons and daughters.

Are Igbos the FBI that indicted him? Abi FBI don turn IPOB?

ObosiUkwalla:


Omenka once stated that an Igbo man by name udene raped his mother years ago. I suspect that is his reason for the hatred towards anything Igbo

No wonder
We IPOB totally condemn such despicable behavior

Bloody criminal, he should have used that money to build a factory in Nigeria instead of taking it to the USA,what is wrong with black people especially Africans? And to the fbi why didn't you stop the sale? You won't because the usa is also corrupt, you will only come out to cry after you must have removed your taxes.