Jacob Olalekan Ponle, popularly known as Woodberry, was on Tuesday sentenced to eight years and three months in prison in the United States.
Ponle, an associate of notorious fraudster, Ramon, known as Hushpuppi, was convicted by Judge Robert Gettleman of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago for his coordination of a multimillion-dollar fraud.
“The defendant is hereby committed to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to be imprisoned for a total term of 100 months as to count,” Judge Gettleman said.
Woodberry was sentenced after being found guilty of one count of fraud while seven other counts were dismissed following a plea bargain in April this year.
The judge ordered the convict to submit himself to the U.S. Marshal Service for onward transfer to the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, where his family would be permitted to visit him, especially his American fiancée.
Judge Gettleman, also ordered that Ponle be “surrendered to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for deportation back to his country home, Nigeria, immediately after his incarceration.”
It may be recalled that Ponle settled for a plea deal with the United States, agreeing to surrender $8 million as restitution to seven victims in proceeds of wire fraud.
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Woodberry known for his flamboyant lifestyle on social media also agreed to forfeit items in the Dubai Police custody, such as one Rolls Royce, Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes-Benz G-Class AMG G55, four Rolex watches, one Patek Philippe watch, and three Audemars Piguet watches.
Also, he is to forfeit three gold and diamond-studded rings, five gold bracelets and two gold bracelet keys, six gold neck chains, one gold and diamond-studded necklace, one small gold nugget, two bank cards, about $1,835 in Emirati dirhams, and approximately $15.45 in Southjeweleries to the foreign government.
The Instagram big boy was charged with wire fraud conspiracy following his arrest in the United Arab Emirates in June 2020 and subsequent extradition to the United States.
The prosecutor was accused of tricking American companies into sending wire transfers worth millions of dollars.
Woodberry allegedly targeted firms in California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan and New York, according to prosecutors.
The socialite, who is also an associate of a notorious fraudster, Hushpuppi, had in the year of his arrest pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge brought against him.