Nosayamen Iyalekhue, Online Scam, Massachusetts 2020

BOSTON – In a shocking case of online deceit, two Nigerian nationals, Nosayamen Iyalekhue, 33, and Esogie Osawaru, 27, have been arrested and charged with defrauding victims using various online scams during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a recent arrest, Iyalekhue and Osawaru were taken into custody on June 12, 2020 and charged with one count of wire fraud in connection with the alleged scams.

As per the criminal complaint, the defendants employed a series of romance, pandemic unemployment insurance, and other online scams to defraud victims by convincing them to send money to accounts controlled by the defendants. To execute the scams, the defendants allegedly used false foreign passports bearing the names of others, but with their photos, to open numerous bank accounts, and subsequently directed the victims to send money to these accounts.

The defendants then rapidly withdrew the victims' money from various bank branches and ATMs, often multiple times during a single day. The schemes allegedly included collecting unemployment insurance in the name of others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the charging statute, the defendants face a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division.

The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In light of these disturbing allegations, it is clear that the victims of these online scams have suffered a significant loss. As law enforcement continues to investigate and bring those responsible to justice, it is essential that we remain vigilant and take steps to protect ourselves from such scams.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of online security and the need for caution when engaging in online transactions.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/two-nigerian-nationals-charged-defrauding-victims-using-online-scams