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- Caesar Oruade, Fraud & Money Laundering, Memphis TN, 2022 · Tennessee
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California Couple Convicted of Wire Fraud in Tennessee
A husband and wife duo from California has been found guilty of participating in an international fraud ring that swindled millions from unsuspecting victims across the United States and Canada.
Caesar Oruade, 38, and Ayana Saunders, 36, were convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to launder money, charges that can carry up to 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The couple, who claimed to be operating a production company in Nigeria, was found to have diverted over $500,000 in funds to their bank accounts in California before forwarding the money to Nigeria. The funds were obtained through a variety of scams, including romance scams and real estate scams.
Victims from around the country testified that they had been directed by either an online real estate lender or an online love interest to wire money to Saunders as insurance on their pending loan or to assist their ‘friend’ in an emergency. Saunders would take a cut of the money before forwarding the remaining funds to Nigeria.
The investigation, led by the FBI’s Memphis Division, involved assistance from the United States Secret Service, FBI – Los Angeles Division, and the Los Angeles Police Department. Jeffrey Cranford, a California resident who pleaded guilty in the scheme, is set to be sentenced on May 5, 2022.
Sentencing for Oruade and Saunders is set for July 21, 2022, before Senior United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen. The couple’s conviction demonstrates the effectiveness of state and federal law enforcement working together to protect the public from real estate and romance scammers and bring those responsible to justice.
Assistant United States Attorneys Raney Irwin and Debra Ireland are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The investigation is a prime example of the FBI’s commitment to targeting domestic and foreign fraudsters who scam innocent people out of their hard-earned money.
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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