Former financial advisor used stolen $10M to build Vinings mansion

ATLANTA - Eijroghene Okuma, a 43-year-old former investment advisor from Lithia Springs, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of wire fraud after defrauding an elderly client of nearly $10 million.

Advisor betrayed trust to steal millions

What we know:

Eijroghene Okuma admitted to executing a calculated scheme between 2022 and 2025 to embezzle funds from an elderly client born in 1944. As a financial advisor with Edward Jones, Okuma gained full access to the victim's brokerage accounts and began diverting money under the guise of administering the estate of the victim's sister. Investigators found that Okuma opened unauthorized accounts using the victim’s personal information and transferred approximately $9 million into a fraudulent Vanguard account without the victim's knowledge.

What we don't know:

While the guilty plea has been entered, the exact length of the prison sentence Okuma will serve remains undetermined until his court date this summer. It is also unclear if any of the stolen funds used for donations or luxury purchases have been successfully recovered for the victim beyond the civil judgment.

Stolen funds went to luxury Viningshome

By the numbers:

• $10 million: The approximate total amount stolen from the elderly victim over three years.
• $5.2 million: The cost of the residence Okuma built in Vinings using the stolen money.
• $1.4 million: The amount spent on a fractional share of a beach house and a beach club membership.
• $340,000: The total Okuma donated to his church using the embezzled funds.
• $13 million: The amount Okuma was ordered to pay in a separate SEC civil judgment.

Betrayal of fiduciary responsibility

What they're saying:

"This was the ultimate act of financial betrayal," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Instead of abiding by his fiduciary obligations, Okuma exploited an elderly man’s trust and stole millions." Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia, added that Okuma "abused a position of trust to carry out a calculated scheme" and reaffirmed the FBI's commitment to protecting older Americans from financial exploitation.

Sentencing

What's next:

Sentencing for Okuma is scheduled for June 23, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty. This follows a final judgment in a settled action by the SEC on February 18, 2026, where Okuma agreed to pay more than $13 million in penalties and interest.