Related Federal Cases
Nigerian Romance Scam Kingpin Sentenced to 4 Years
An Oklahoma man has been sentenced to four years in prison for managing a group of money launderers in an online Nigerian romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elderly individuals across the United States, and caused losses of at least $2.5 million.
Afeez Adebara, 36, of Norman, was also ordered to pay $500, 740 in restitution to the victims of the crime.
According to court documents and testimony, between 2017 and November 2019, Adebara and co-conspirators knowingly concealed the proceeds of a romance scam operation by moving money between and among multiple bank accounts that were opened under various aliases using fake passports and other fraudulent identification documents to obscure the source of the funds and the identities of the co-conspirators.
Adebara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on Nov. 3, 2020. He coordinated with overseas co-conspirators who had assumed false identities on online dating websites and social media platforms to defraud victims. Adebara opened multiple accounts using fraudulent identities, then provided the account and routing numbers to the overseas co-conspirators.
The overseas co-conspirators told victims that they were U.S. residents working or traveling abroad. As the online relationships continued, the overseas co-conspirators requested increasingly larger sums of money, with the claimed purpose that the funds were needed to complete business projects or for them to return to the United States.
Adebara and his co-conspirators were brought to justice thanks to the work of the FBI and federal prosecutors Babasijibomi Moore and Chris Nassar. This case is part of an ongoing national effort by law enforcement to address online fraud schemes, including those based out of Nigeria, that target U.S. citizens and residents.
The public is encouraged to report any suspicious online activity to the authorities. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a romance scam, contact your local authorities or the FBI immediately.
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Category: Cybercrime|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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