Folarin Kehinde

A United States District Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of a California property belonging to Paulinus Okoronkwo, a Nigerian-American and former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), now NNPC Limited, after finding he acquired it with proceeds of bribery.

The ruling, issued by Judge John Walter on October 3, followed Okoronkwo’s September conviction on charges of transactional money laundering, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors alleged that Okoronkwo received a $2.1 million bribe from Addax Petroleum, a Switzerland-based subsidiary of China’s state-owned Sinopec, in exchange for granting favourable drilling rights in Nigeria during his time at NNPC.

According to U.S. court documents, the payment made in October 2015 was wired to Okoronkwo’s law firm trust account in Los Angeles and disguised as consultancy fees.

Investigations, however, revealed the funds were bribes facilitated by Addax executives who allegedly falsified records, misled auditors, and dismissed staff who questioned the transaction.

Prosecutors further told the court that Okoronkwo, who practiced immigration, family, and personal injury law in Koreatown, Los Angeles, used nearly $1 million of the illicit funds as a down payment on a luxury home in Valencia, California. He also failed to declare the income in his 2015 tax returns, violating U.S. tax laws.

The forfeiture order covers the property located at 25340 Twin Oaks Place, Valencia, California 91381, described as Tract Number 45433, Lot 12, with Assessor’s Parcel Number 2826-143-004. The court found a “clear nexus” between the property and the crimes listed in Counts 1 through 3 of the indictment, which involved money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1957.

In its judgment, the court ruled that “any right, title, and interest of the defendant” in the Valencia property “is hereby forfeited to the United States.” It also authorized the U.S. Attorney General or a designee to seize the property pursuant to federal forfeiture laws.

The U.S. government has since published a public notice calling on any individual with a legitimate claim or interest in the property to file a petition within 60 days of the announcement.

Okoronkwo’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for December 1, where he faces potential prison time and further financial penalties. The case has drawn attention in both Nigeria and the U.S., spotlighting renewed international efforts to combat corruption in the oil and gas sector and trace illicit financial flows across borders.

If upheld, the forfeiture will mark another major U.S. enforcement action targeting foreign bribery linked to Nigeria’s oil industry an ongoing challenge for authorities seeking to recover assets looted through corporate and political corruption.