International Love Gone Wrong: US Man Behind Bars for Embezzling Ksh 1.8M from Kenyan Girlfriend’s Heart and Wallet
Wednesday, June 14, Nathan Hightman, the ex-boyfriend of Irene Gakwa, was sentenced to six years in prison.
As evidenced in Gakwa’s case, Hightman pled guilty to felony theft and unlawful use of a credit card.
In the case heard by the Campbell County District Court in Gillette, Wyoming, the defendant was sentenced to three to six years in prison for each charge, concurrently.
Despite ongoing investigations, he was also ordered to pay fines and restitution totaling more than Ksh1.8 million ($13,000).
Irene Wairimu Gakwa vanished from Wyoming in late February 2022, and Nathan Nightman is the prime suspect in her disappearance.
Gakwa, a Kenyan immigrant of 25 years of age, was last seen in Gillette, Wyoming, on March 1, 2022.
Hightman was arrested a month after Gakwa’s disappearance, in April 2022, on suspicion of stealing thousands of dollars from her.
The defendant was then accused of using her credit cards, withdrawing funds from her bank account, and selling some of her possessions.
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According to the prosecution, Hightman withdrew approximately Ksh518,000 ($3,700) from Gakwa’s bank account and charged Ksh452,000 ($3,230) to her credit card.
The investigators also determined that Hightman may have accessed and deleted Gakwa’s email account in an attempt to cover his tracks.
Hightman argued in his response to the allegations that he withdrew the funds to compel the deceased to contact him and come out of hiding.
He admitted stealing the money and selling Gakwa’s belongings but denied killing the Kenyan immigrant.
Hightman has not been charged in connection with Gakwa’s death.
As a result, the case remained unsolved, with Wyoming collecting additional evidence to present to the court.
Gakwa’s family blamed Hightman for her disappearance and hoped that an ongoing search and rescue mission would be successful.
The deceased immigrated from Kenya to the United States to study nursing in the Boise, Idaho area, where her two older brothers reside.
According to court documents, Gakwa met Hightman on a Craigslist forum and moved with him to Gillette in July 2021.
International Love Gone Wrong: US Man Behind Bars for Embezzling Ksh 1.8M from Kenyan Girlfriend’s Heart and Wallet
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