EAST ST. LOUIS — Evette “Betty” Osuegbu, 62, of Granite City, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in federal prison for orchestrating a series of arsons and insurance fraud schemes spanning nearly a decade.
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A jury in East St. Louis found Osuegbu guilty in December on all 15 counts of an indictment charging conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit arson, and use of fire to commit a federal felony. The crimes occurred between 2014 and 2023 and involved multiple properties, including an occupied apartment complex.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft described arson as “an inherently dangerous crime,” emphasizing the risks to firefighters and the broader community.
“Arsons cause unnecessary blight, raise insurance rates, lower property values and can harm neighbors,” he said. “We will continue to seek heavy penalties for these destructive and dangerous crimes.”
Osuegbu’s co-defendant, Rufis Jefferson, 48, of Venice, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Testimony during the five-day trial revealed Osuegbu’s involvement in a romance scam targeting an intellectually disabled person. Prosecutors said she exploited the victim’s illiteracy to acquire property and insurance in his name. After directing Jefferson to burn the victim’s East St. Louis home, Osuegbu filed an insurance claim using the victim’s name without his knowledge. The insurance company settled, and Osuegbu kept the victim’s share of the payout.
“Arson and insurance fraud are not victimless crimes, and the sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of the offenses committed,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “This was a dangerous, deliberate, and brazen scheme orchestrated by Ms. Osuegbu, putting the public at risk for personal gain.”
The jury also heard from a father living next to Osuegbu in a St. Louis apartment complex who reported a fire in her unit on New Year’s Eve 2022. Firefighters contained the blaze, but the witness’s family endured months in a smoky, moldy apartment. Evidence showed Osuegbu directed Jefferson to set the fire while she established an alibi at a local casino. Osuegbu received insurance payouts and was temporarily housed in a hotel.
Another witness from Florissant, Mo., testified that Osuegbu pressured her to raise renter’s insurance and leave her home when Jefferson set it on fire. The witness said Osuegbu threatened to “gut” her if she did not pay a share of the proceeds, leading to installment payments over several months.
Jurors also heard recordings of Osuegbu instructing others on how to avoid surveillance and cell phone tracking and how to start fires difficult for investigators to analyze. The ATF intervened before arsons could occur at properties in Granite City and Venice.
The ATF Chicago led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Burke and Peter Reed prosecuted the case.
