US sentences ex-NNPC General Manager to over seven years for $2.1m bribe
A United States federal court has sentenced Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to seven years and three months in prison for his role in a major bribery and corruption case. The sentencing follows a conviction in August 2025 over a $2.1 million bribe that prosecutors say was paid to secure favourable oil drilling rights in Nigeria. The decision reflects a growing effort by US authorities to enforce anti-corruption laws that extend beyond their borders when crimes involve the US financial system.
The case was heard in the United States District Court for the Central District of California before Judge John F. Walter, who handed down an 87-month prison term to Okoronkwo. In addition to imprisonment, the court ordered him to pay $923,824 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and to forfeit over $1 million linked to proceeds from the crime, including the net value of a home purchased in California. The sentencing underscores the gravity of the offences, which included money laundering, tax evasion and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Okoronkwo accepted the bribe from Addax Petroleum, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned energy giant, Sinopec, in October 2015. The payment was wired into his Los Angeles law firm’s trust account and falsely represented as payment for consultancy services. Investigators said the funds were intended to influence decisions on oil drilling rights back in Nigeria, exploiting his position at NNPC’s upstream division. The conviction followed a four-day trial where a jury found him guilty on multiple counts related to the bribery scheme.
The ruling adds to an ongoing pattern of cross-border anti-corruption enforcement by US authorities under laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act when transactions pass through the US financial system or involve US persons. By targeting corrupt practices tied to Nigeria’s vital oil sector, the prosecution highlights the reach of US jurisdiction in deterring international bribery and reinforcing accountability for public officials who misuse their positions.
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