Invictus Obi Released from U.S. Prison After $11m Fraud Conviction
Invictus Obi Released from U.S. Prison After $11m Fraud Conviction
Obinwanne Okeke, a Nigerian entrepreneur widely known as Invictus Obi, has been released from a United States federal prison after serving part of a 10-year sentence for fraud.
Checks on the website of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) indicate that Okeke was no longer in custody as of Wednesday, December 23, 2025, confirming reports of his release.
Okeke was sentenced in February 2021 by a U.S. federal court after pleading guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and computer fraud. Prosecutors said he played a central role in a sophisticated business email compromise (BEC) scheme that targeted several U.S.-based companies, resulting in losses of about $11 million.
The fraud involved hacking corporate email accounts and impersonating company executives to trick employees and partners into transferring large sums of money into accounts controlled by the conspirators. One of the major victims was Unatrac Holding Limited, a U.S. company that lost millions of dollars to the scheme.
Before his arrest, Okeke was celebrated in Nigeria and beyond as a rising tech entrepreneur. He was the founder of Invictus Group and had gained international attention after being named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. His sudden fall from prominence followed his arrest in August 2019 at Dulles International Airport in the United States.
Although he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, Okeke spent about six years in custody. His early release is believed to be connected to U.S. prison reform measures, including sentence-reduction credits for good behaviour under the First Step Act.
Sources indicate that following his release from prison, deportation proceedings to Nigeria are expected, in line with the terms of his conviction and U.S. immigration laws.
The release of Invictus Obi has reignited public debate in Nigeria on cybercrime, accountability, and the dramatic contrast between online success narratives and the legal consequences of financial fraud.
