U.S. Seizes $2.5 Million Los Angeles Mansion from NNPC Official Paulinus Okoronkwo After Money Laundering Conviction
A senior official of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo, has forfeited a $2.5 million luxury mansion in Los Angeles, California, to the United States government after being convicted for money laundering.
A preliminary order of forfeiture dated October 3, 2025, and signed by Judge John Walter of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, directed that Mr. Okoronkwo’s ownership and interests in the property located at 25340 Twin Oaks Place, Valencia, California, be seized and transferred to the U.S. government.
Court filings obtained by PulseNets described the residence—identified as Tract Number 45433, Lot 12, with Assessor’s Parcel Number 2826-143-004—as one of several assets linked to the proceeds of illegal financial transactions in violation of U.S. anti–money laundering statutes.
According to the judgment, prosecutors proved that funds used in purchasing the mansion were tied to unlawful monetary transfers, establishing what the court referred to as the “requisite nexus” between Mr. Okoronkwo’s criminal activities and the California property.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Su, who led the government’s forfeiture motion, told PulseNets that the court’s ruling authorizes immediate seizure of the property, paving the way for disposal in line with federal forfeiture procedures.
“This order ensures that proceeds derived from financial crimes will not remain in private hands,” Su stated. “The government now has full authority to take possession and liquidate the asset under U.S. law.”
The order further empowers the U.S. Attorney General to identify and sell the forfeited asset while issuing notifications to any potential third parties claiming legal interest.
PulseNets learnt that the forfeiture will become final at sentencing, officially forming part of Mr. Okoronkwo’s punishment. Once finalized, the U.S. government will gain clear title to the Los Angeles mansion, unless legitimate third-party claims emerge.
The case—United States of America v. Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo (Case No. 2:24-CR-20(A)-JFW)—is a component of an ongoing federal investigation into international financial crimes involving politically exposed persons from Nigeria and other nations.
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Mr. Okoronkwo’s conviction and property seizure add to a growing list of Nigerian officials and corporate executives whose assets in the United States have been confiscated after being linked to illicit financial flows routed through offshore networks.
