A United States court has sentenced a Nigerian national, Saheed Sunday Owolabi, to 15 years in prison for his role in a large-scale romance fraud scheme that defrauded victims of over $1.5 million.
Gatekeepers News reports that Owolabi was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said he and his accomplices operated a romance scam in which they posed as women online to build emotional relationships with victims in the US.
The scheme involved deceiving victims into sending money and sensitive information. Authorities revealed that the group also used victims’ bank accounts to launder funds from other fraudulent operations, with one victim alone losing more than $120,000.
At sentencing, the court described Owolabi as a key figure in a “sophisticated” criminal network that caused significant financial harm. Evidence presented included images from his phone showing lavish spending of the stolen funds.
Prosecutors also disclosed that the syndicate sometimes gained access to sensitive financial information, such as details of pending property transactions, and sent fake emails directing victims to transfer money into accounts controlled by the group.
Reacting to the case, US authorities stressed that individuals involved in defrauding citizens would be pursued and brought to justice regardless of their location.
