PROVIDENCE, RI – The digital trail of heartbreak and stolen savings led to federal prison sentences this month for two men caught funneling cash from a sophisticated network of internet and email fraud schemes. Babawale Jenyo, 33, of Warwick, and Abiodun Shobaloju, 29, of Baltimore, MD, were both sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy that preyed on vulnerable victims through romance and other online scams.
Shobaloju, who previously pled guilty to wire fraud, received a 24-month sentence from U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., and was ordered to pay $136,431 in restitution to those he defrauded. Court documents reveal Shobaloju wasn’t directly running the scams, but providing the financial plumbing – critical bank information and a shell company – to receive and disperse the stolen funds. He then allegedly pocketed a cut before sending the rest further along the criminal pipeline.
Jenyo’s case proved more complex. The U.S. Secret Service initially flagged him in 2017 following an investigation by the Rhode Island State Police into an email scam targeting a couple in West Des Moines, IA. While arrested at the time, Jenyo didn’t stay reformed. The Secret Service re-arrested him in 2019, discovering he continued to operate as an illicit money transmitter, moving funds from freshly-committed fraud schemes. The government successfully argued at trial that Jenyo knowingly laundered money obtained through these scams.
The evidence presented in court detailed how fraudulently obtained funds flowed through bank accounts controlled by Jenyo. He wasn’t the architect of the scams themselves, but a crucial link in the chain, enabling the fraudsters to access and move their ill-gotten gains. This made him a key target for investigators determined to disrupt the flow of money fueling these international criminal enterprises.
“These sentences underscore the Secret Service’s commitment to dismantling the financial networks that support these predatory schemes,” stated U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha in a press release. However, the impact on victims – those swindled out of their life savings by promises of love or false investment opportunities – remains devastating. Restitution for Shobaloju offers some solace, but doesn’t erase the emotional and financial scars.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Richard B. Myrus prosecuted the cases. While these two men are behind bars, the underlying fraud schemes remain a persistent threat. Investigators warn that romance and internet fraud continue to evolve, requiring constant vigilance from both law enforcement and the public. Anyone who believes they have been a victim of such a scam should immediately contact their local FBI field office and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
Related Federal Cases
- Ambulai R. Sheku, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, Theft of Governm… · Rhode Island
- Rogue Bank Employees, Bank Fraud Conspiracy, R.I. 2023 · Rhode Island
- Billy J. Williams Activates Election Fraud Task Force, Portland OR,… · Oregon
- David Hobson Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading Scheme, Providence RI… · New Hampshire
- George L. Wilson, Passport Fraud, Rhode Island 2024 · U.S. Virgin Islands
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News