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Nigerian National Charged in Romance Scam Conspiracy
BOSTON, MA – Mark Arome Okuo, a 41-year-old Nigerian national residing in Canton, has been indicted for his role in a romance scam conspiracy targeting individuals in the United States.
According to the indictment, Okuo participated in a conspiracy involving romance scams designed to defraud victims into sending money to accounts he controlled. The scheme involved creating fictitious profiles on online dating or social media websites, gaining the trust of potential victims, and then directing those victims to transfer money under false pretenses.
Okuo allegedly used fake passports in the names of aliases to open bank accounts in and around Boston to receive the proceeds of the romance scams. He then executed large cash withdrawals from those accounts, generally structured in amounts less than $10,000, in an effort to evade detection.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.
Okuo, who was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2021, has been detained since his arrest. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Stearns of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Aiding in the investigation were the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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