HOUSTON – A Houston couple, Darlington Akporugo, 47, and his wife Jasmin Sood, 37, also known as Jaslynn Washington, have been sentenced for wire fraud and conspiracy in a romance scheme that targeted citizens nationwide, resulting in over $3 million in losses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Akporugo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud on February 28, while Sood entered her plea to the same charges on December 17, 2024. U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge sentenced Akporugo to 188 months in prison and Sood to 121 months. Both defendants must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences and pay full restitution of $3,123,073.
At the hearing, four victims testified about the couple’s persistent lies and false promises, which led them to send large sums of money. One victim told the court how the pair coerced her into buying a luxury vehicle and renting a mansion for them. Authorities arrested the couple while they were driving the victim’s vehicle and living in her rented home. In handing down the sentence, the court described the scheme as ‘heartless and far-reaching,’ noting Akporugo and Sood deliberately targeted older women, including several widows.
Akporugo admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scheme based in Houston that targeted victims from Chicago to Kentucky. He and his co-conspirators lured victims through online romances and convinced them to send money to bank accounts he controlled. Sood created fake businesses and bank accounts under aliases and used disguises to deposit the funds.
To carry out the scheme, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake names on social media to gain victims’ trust and persuade them to invest in non-existent businesses or provide funds for invented personal circumstances. Akporugo admitted to directing victims – mostly older individuals – to send money through platforms like Facebook. The funds were spent extravagantly or passed to co-defendants.
Authorities identified over 25 victims during the multi-year scheme, with losses totaling more than $3 million. ‘Investigating and prosecuting those that perpetuate romance scams – particularly those who target the lonely elderly – will always be a priority for the Southern District of Texas,’ said Ganjei. ‘We applaud those victims courageous enough to notify authorities, and we encourage others who have been victimized to similarly come forward.’
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case. Both defendants will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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