Two men plead guilty to impersonating CBP officers in fraud scheme

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) – Two men on Tuesday pleaded guilty to conspiracy to impersonate U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and to commit wire fraud in Florida, prosecutors said.

Saleumsak Khammungkhune, 57, of San Diego, California and David Johnson, aka “Ukoha Eke,” 39, a Nigerian national residing in Upper Marlboro, Maryland pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer and to commit wire fraud.

Khammungkhune and Johnson admitted posing as CBP agents in a conspiracy which contacted victims through the internet. The defendants told victims that $10 million dollars arrived for them from Nigeria, but they have to pay U.S. Customs duties and fees to obtain the money. Victims deposited the money into a bank account controlled by the defendants and never receive the alleged $10 million. In this way, Khammungkhune and Johnson defrauded victims out of approximately $300,000 through this advanced fee scheme.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Johnson in Greenbelt, Maryland, on May 13. Khammungkhune was arrested at the Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on May 15.

Khammungkhune and Johnson face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Khammungkhune will be sentenced on October 26 while Johnson is due to appear for sentencing on November 16.

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