⏱ 2 min read
Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, a 45-year-old Nigerian national from Frisco, Texas, has been charged with money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in Pennsylvania. Udugba and his co-conspirators allegedly orchestrated a romance and business email compromise scheme, using social media and dating websites to groom victims into becoming money mules. The scheme involved spoofing emails from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, directing grant funds to be used to pay fabricated invoices, resulting in over $300,000 in fraudulent payments.
The investigation, led by the Homeland Security Task Force, involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Department of Interior Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd.
The scam worked by having Udugba and his co-conspirators pose as representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, sending emails from spoofed addresses in Nigeria. The emails claimed that the money mules were contractors and consultants who had performed work on grant-eligible projects, and directed the grant administrator to issue payments.
The outcome of the investigation has led to Udugba’s indictment, and he now faces charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, aimed at eliminating transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings.
The prosecution is a result of a collaborative effort between multiple agencies, demonstrating the commitment to combating financial crimes and protecting the American people from invasion and exploitation.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Pennsylvania
- Location: PA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
