Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo, the former general manager in the upstream division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, received an 87-month federal prison sentence yesterday in Los Angeles.
The court convicted him after a four-day jury trial in August 2025 on three counts of transactional money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice.
Background of the Case
Okoronkwo served as general manager in the upstream division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He abused his position by accepting a $2.1 million bribe from Addax Petroleum, a subsidiary of Sinopec, China’s state-owned energy company.
Prosecutors stated that the payment aimed to secure favorable drilling rights in Nigeria.
Details of the Bribe
Addax Petroleum transferred $2,105,263 in October 2015 to Okoronkwo’s law firm trust account in Los Angeles. They disguised the funds as consultancy fees for negotiating a settlement with NNPC. However investigators revealed the transfer as a bribe. Addax executives falsified records, dismissed questioning staff, and misled auditors.
Financial Misuse and Tax Evasion
Okoronkwo used nearly $1 million of the bribe for a down payment on a home in Valencia, California. He omitted the income from his 2015 federal tax return. Additionally he lied to federal investigators in 2022 about the funds’ use.
Court Orders and Forfeiture
Judge Walter ordered Okoronkwo to pay $923,824 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Furthermore, he forfeited $1,039,997 from the home’s sale proceeds.
The US Attorney’s Office stated, “A Los Angeles-area lawyer was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for receiving a $2.1 million bribe while serving as an officer of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company in connection with negotiating favorable drilling rights for a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned oil company.”
Investigation and Prosecution
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation led the probe. Prosecutors from the Major Frauds Section handled the case. Meanwhile the State Bar of California suspended Okoronkwo’s law license in January 2026.
