Ijeoma Okoro, Romance Scam, Texas 2024
A ruthless romance scam artist has been brought to justice in Texas, leaving a trail of heartbroken victims in her wake.
A 33-year-old woman from Aubrey, Texas, Ijeoma Okoro, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for defrauding elderly victims in romance schemes. On Monday, she was ordered to pay more than $2.2 million in restitution for her crimes.
The scam, which lasted for years, involved Okoro and her coconspirators using fake names and profiles on dating sites like Match.com and Zoosk to target their victims. Once they had ingratiated themselves with their marks, they would concoct elaborate stories about why they needed financial assistance.
The victims, often divorced or widowed, would send thousands of dollars to bank accounts opened by the defendant and her coconspirators in the Northern District of Texas. Okoro would then distribute the fraudulent proceeds to her coconspirators and retain a portion for herself.
At Monday's sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge David Godbey applied a sentencing enhancement for Okoro's obstruction of the administration of justice, finding that she committed perjury when she testified at trial that she never conspired with anyone to commit fraud or money laundering.
Okoro's sentencing is a major victory for law enforcement, who have been working tirelessly to bring romance scammers to justice. To date, four other codefendants have also been convicted for their involvement in the scheme, including David Animashaun, Oluwalobamise Michael Moses, Emanuel Stanley Orji, and Frederick Orji. The remaining indicted codefendant, Chukwuemeka Orji, remains a fugitive.
The case was led by the IRS-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Frisco Field Office, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Walters, Jenna Rudoff, and Elyse Lyons prosecuted the case.
Okoro's crimes are a stark reminder of the dangers of online romance scams. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a romance scam, there are resources available to help. The Federal Trade Commission recommends reporting scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant/respondent full name: Ijeoma Okoro
- Criminal charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering
- City and state: Aubrey, Texas
- Exact date: December 2023 (trial), Monday (sentencing)
- Sentence or outcome: 10 years in federal prison, ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution
- Dollar amounts: $2.2 million
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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