Nigerian Man Indicted for Wire Fraud in U.S. Casino Case

Kenneth Godwin, a Nigerian national, has been indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury for allegedly conspiring to embezzle funds from the Prairie Wind Casino and Hotel, which is operated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. The U.S.

Department of Justice announced the indictment on Wednesday, detailing charges against Godwin for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorized access to protected computers. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, along with restitution payments to the federal crime victim fund.

The indictment states that Godwin conspired with others from May 2023 to March 2026 to embezzle funds, causing significant financial damage to the tribe. The FBI, represented by Special Agent Christoph Dotson, emphasized their commitment to pursuing suspects regardless of location and holding fraudsters accountable.