Gbenga Ogundele Convicted in $Million Romance Scam

Greenbelt, Maryland — A federal jury delivered a swift blow to a sophisticated romance fraud ring, convicting Gbenga Benson Ogundele, 58, of Laurel, Maryland, along with three co-conspirators, in a scheme that bled millions from vulnerable victims across the U.S. The verdict, handed down late November 18, 2016, marks the end of a 17-day trial packed with testimony of emotional manipulation, forged documents, and a web of financial deceit that spanned four years.

The defendants — Ogundele; Victor Oyewumi Oloyede, 42, of Laurel; Babtunde Emmanuel Popoola, 34, of Bowie, Maryland; and his sister, Mojisola Tinuola Popoola, 42, of Laurel — stand convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors proved they scoured online dating sites to target lonely men and women, crafting fake romantic relationships through phone calls, emails, texts, and chat messengers. These digital cons turned into real financial devastation for victims from Maryland to coast-to-coast.

Witnesses detailed how the gang spun elaborate lies — fake hospital emergencies, urgent overseas business issues, fabricated tax bills, and promises of face-to-face visits requiring airfare. One victim handed over as much as $50,000; others wired $1,720 or more into so-called ‘drop accounts’ set up by the conspirators. These accounts, opened under false pretenses, funneled millions in stolen cash through a maze of transfers, cashier’s checks, and third-party payments designed to erase the trail.

Gbenga Benson Ogundele and his crew didn’t just steal money — they weaponized trust. The fraud ran from January 2011 to May 18, 2015, during which time the defendants exploited personal details, driver’s licenses, and bank information to deepen their deception. This use of stolen identities triggered mandatory minimum sentences for aggravated identity theft against all defendants except Mojisola Popoola, adding two years to their eventual prison terms, served consecutively.

Now, each faces up to 20 years behind bars. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has set sentencing dates: Oloyede on January 25, 2017; the Popoolas on February 22, 2017; and Ogundele on February 23, 2017. The case was led by United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein and FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson, who emphasized the organized, predatory nature of the operation.

The conviction is part of a broader crackdown by the Maryland Identity Theft Working Group and the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force — a massive coalition of 20+ federal agencies and 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices. This case underscores how romance scams are no longer petty cons but organized criminal enterprises, demanding coordinated federal response. For the victims, justice comes late — but not too late to send a message: predators hiding behind love letters and login screens will be hunted down.