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Grimy Times Exclusive
Chukwunonso "Douglas" Umegbo, a 38-year-old former New Bedford man, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges in connection with a "romance scam" that defrauded victims out of over $560,000.
According to court documents, Umegbo, who used multiple aliases including James Abbott, Michael Philips, and Richard Armani, opened bank accounts in the greater Boston area using fake identity documents between 2018 and 2019. He then used these accounts to receive fraudulently obtained funds from victims of romance scams, in which perpetrators create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S.
Umegbo would then withdraw the money in cash, use the funds to purchase cashier’s checks, or spend the money on personal purchases. The total amount of fraudulent funds received by Umegbo’s accounts was over $560,000.
Umegbo was arrested in London in April 2022 and extradited to the United States in February 2023. He has remained in federal custody since. Umegbo was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2021.
Umegbo pleaded guilty to six counts of making a false statement to a bank, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million for the charge of making a false statement to a bank.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property.
Umegbo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2024, by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and Leslie A. Wright of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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