November 18, (THEWILL) – For their part in a fraud plot exposed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), two Nigerian athletes, Emmanuel Ineh and Toluwani Adebakin, might spend the next 10 years in prison.
Ineh and Adebakin were found guilty last week of sending tens of thousands of dollars to Nigeria as part of what the American Justice Department called “a complex fraud scheme.”
When they were discovered to be involved in the plot, the 23 and 25-year-old men were teammates at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The prosecution claimed the pair were not alone as athletes from several institutions participated in the illicit plan.
Dare Esan, a member of the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), said about the development: “It’s really sad and damaging, not just to the image of the sport or federation, but Nigeria as a country. This kind of action could potentially affect other young athletes seeking scholarships to American schools.
“It dents the incredible achievements other honest athletes have created in the world. But we know America is a country with justice and fairness, so whoever is found guilty will be punished and made to pay the price for their own actions.”
On February 15, 2023, the defendants will appear in court in Hattiesburg and will be subject to a maximum 10-year sentence. Neither man’s career will benefit from this. Ineh is a budding triple jump and long jump star in Nigeria but this will be detrimental to that progress.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
