- The scammers used fake online personas to lure victims into romantic relationships and then extorted them under false pretenses, such as medical emergencies
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has filed charges against seven Nigerian men for their involvement in romance scams that defrauded vulnerable American citizens of $8 million.
The men, who acted as middlemen, allegedly received proceeds from the scams and laundered the money. According to U.S. prosecutors, the defendants collaborated with fraudsters in Nigeria to execute the scams between March 2018 and June 2019.
The scammers used fake online personas to lure victims into romantic relationships and then extorted them under false pretenses, such as medical emergencies. The accused individuals are: Bolanle Christina Odeyale (39), Oghenemine Jeffrey Agbroko (34), Charles Owhonigho Emurotu (40), Jimmy Iwezu (44), Lori Tsoritse (38), Rukevwe Solomon Ologban (44), Christopher Onyedikachi Okereke (38).
A grand jury indicted the seven defendants on February 14 following an FBI investigation that revealed numerous elderly citizens had lost their life savings to the scam.
The indictment said the defendants colluded with the “Utah Money Transmitters” to facilitate the fraud money transfers outside the U.S.
“The defendants either helped the Utah Money Transmitters source opportunities to work with Yahoo boys or helped them to transmit the fraud proceeds from the District of Utah to other places within the United States or abroad,” stated the U.S. attorney’s office.
The indictment said the defendants colluded with the “Utah Money Transmitters” to facilitate the fraud money transfers outside the U.S.
“The defendants either helped the Utah Money Transmitters source opportunities to work with Yahoo boys or helped them to transmit the fraud proceeds from the District of Utah to other places within the United States or abroad,” stated the U.S. attorney’s office.
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