A former Alabama track and field athlete was one of six collegiate track athletes — all from either Nigeria or Zimbabwe — who participated in money laundering as part of a scheme that defrauded numerous individuals across the U.S. out of more than $800,000, according to officials.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Emmanuel Ineh, of Nigeria, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and was sentenced to time served, plus three years of post-release supervision.

Ineh, 23, was on the track team at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss., from 2019-2021. According to federal court documents, the fraud and money laundering scheme was carried out between 2018-2022.

Ineh transferred to the University of Alabama and was on the Crimson Tide track and field team in 2022. A high jumper and triple jumper, he is listed in the school record book as having the 8th-best long jump in Alabama history — 25 feet, 8 1/4 inches, set at a meet in Baton Rouge, La., in 2022.

Ineh was also a suspect in a rape case in Tuscaloosa last year, but a grand jury declined to indict him.

Ineh and the other five money laundering conspirators were all in the U.S. on F1 student visas, according to court documents.

Persons in Nigeria conducted are believed to have defrauded at least 100 people in the U.S. through romance scams, sale of fraudulent goods and military scams. The victims of the scams would be instructed to send money to people in the U.S.

An FBI investigation determined that Ineh, Aniekeme Etim, Uyoyo Mercy Abire, Raymond Ekevwo, Toluwani Adebakin, and Ngoni Chadyiwa were all receiving and transferring the proceeds from the fraud schemes. At the time that they were engaged in this activity, each of the individuals were collegiate track and field athletes.

Etim and Adebakin were athletes at William Carey, while Abire was at LSU. Ekevwo was on the track team at the University of Florida. Chadyiwa, originally from Zimbabwe and the only one not from Nigeria, was also at William Carey.

While federal agents determined none of the athletes were directly involved in defrauding the victims, they received funds from the scams and transferred more than $820,000 overseas.

Etim was the last to be sentenced. A federal court judge in Hattiesburg sentenced her to three years probation and fined nearly $75,000. The remaining four conspirators were sentenced as follows:

• Adebakin: Sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of post-release supervision.
• Chadyiwa: Sentenced to three years probation.
• Abire: Sentenced to 41 months in prison, followed by three years post-release supervision.
• Ekevwo: Sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by three years post-release supervision.

In addition, each of the defendants has been ordered to pay full restitution to victims from whom they personally received funds. All six are also subject to potential deportation.