AUGUSTA, Ga. – A brazen scheme to siphon a quarter-million dollars from an Augusta attorney has landed a Texas woman in the crosshairs of federal justice. Gloria Ifem Okolie, 39, of Dallas, Texas, was found guilty Wednesday, May 15, of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering following a jury trial in U.S. District Court. While acquitted of a Wire Fraud charge, Okolie now faces up to 20 years behind bars.
The scheme, detailed in court documents and trial testimony, involved deceiving the Augusta attorney into rerouting $246,218.83 from the sale of a West Lake home. Okolie acted as a key player, opening an account at a Dallas bank to receive the stolen funds. She, along with convicted co-defendant Paul Wilson Aisosa and another conspirator currently at large in Nigeria, systematically withdrew the money and funneled it to additional accomplices believed to be operating within Nigeria.
“Complex international cases involving cyber fraud and banking manipulation are still, in the end, just old-fashioned theft,” stated U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “And just like any other theft, our job is to work with our law enforcement partners to bring these thieves to justice and shut down the avenues by which they enrich themselves at the expense of honest people.” The case underscores the growing threat of transnational fraud schemes targeting individuals and businesses.
Federal investigators paint a picture of a carefully orchestrated email scam designed to prey on the victim’s trust. “Okolie was part of an elaborate plan of deception to steal money from an unsuspecting victim through an email scam,” explained Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed to working with our international partners to crack down on these fraud schemes and reminds businesses to be diligently alert to potential email compromises.”
The IRS Criminal Investigation unit also played a critical role in unraveling the financial trail. “Today’s conviction is a direct result of the excellent partnership IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s office has in combating violations of federal law,” said Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “This conviction should serve as a deterrent to those who might contemplate similar fraudulent actions.”
The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Rhodes and Hank Syms prosecuted the case for the United States. A sentencing date for Okolie has not yet been set, but federal authorities are signaling a firm commitment to pursuing all avenues of justice in this international fraud case. The search for remaining conspirators in Nigeria continues.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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