Emmanuel Ugbaaja Charged in $60K Romance and Inheritance Scam Scheme

Emmanuel Ugbaja, 53, of Duluth, Georgia, is staring down federal prison time after being indicted on three counts tied to laundering $60,000 stolen in online romance and inheritance scams. The indictment, unsealed in New Orleans, charges Ugbaja with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and two counts of Money Laundering under federal law.

The scheme traces back to 2018, when two victims—one in Kansas, the other in California—were duped by separate internet frauds. The Kansas victim sent money to a supposed lover in a romance scam, while the Californian wired funds to a fake attorney claiming they were due an inheritance. Both were instructed to send the money to a bank account controlled by Ugbaja.

Ugbaja didn’t just pass the cash along—he kept a cut for himself, then funneled the remaining $60,000 to Bourg Marine, a Louisiana maritime broker, as a down payment on a boat purchase unconnected to the scams. The move represents a classic layering tactic used to obscure the illicit origins of stolen funds.

If convicted, Ugbaja faces up to ten years in prison for each count, three years of supervised release, fines up to $250,000 per count—or double the gain or loss involved—and a $100 special assessment for each charge. The stakes are high, but prosecutors stress the indictment is not a conviction.

“The indictment is merely a charge,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, “and the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.” The case is part of a broader Justice Department push targeting overseas-based fraud rings that exploit American victims through digital deception.

The FBI handled the investigation, with assistance from local authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is leading the prosecution. The public is urged to report suspected online fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.