Houston man, Nigerian gets prison for $10M housing fraud

A Houston man and a Nigerian national have been sentenced to prison for what investigators in Texas call a $10 million scam over funds meant for title companies to close on homes.

Prosecutors say James Campbell was sentenced Tuesday to 7½ years in prison. The 53-year-old Campbell was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in thefts since 2016.

A federal judge in Houston earlier sentenced Hammed Akinola to 15 years for conviction in the same international fraud case linked to about 45 victims and bogus requests for payment.

Investigators say the victims thought they were sending money to title companies to close on homes.

Prosecutors say fake emails and hacking of legitimate accounts led the victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by Campbell and Akinola.