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Atlanta Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years for Leading Romance Scam Conspiracy in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, RI – Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 44, described as an “unrepentant con man” in court documents, was sentenced to 121 months of incarceration, followed by three years of federal supervised release, for his role in a romance scam and money laundering conspiracy.
Onyobeno and his co-conspirators created false personas and used online apps and games to target and bilk elder widows and divorcees in Rhode Island and elsewhere out of millions of dollars. The victims were convinced to send money to help with a purported personal crisis or urgent financial situation.
In some cases, the conspirators falsely claimed to be military members stationed overseas, while in others they posed as U.S. contractors stuck on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. The victims were instructed to mail checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks to post office boxes or to wire money to bank accounts managed by members of the conspiracy.
Once the funds were sent by the victims, the conspirators laundered the money to conceal its origin. According to information presented to the court, victims lost more than $5.8 million dollars to members of this conspiracy.
“To those who believe that they can help themselves to the hard-earned savings of Rhode Islanders through deception and fraud, wherever you are, know that we will find you and bring you to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Onyobeno pleaded guilty on April 28, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and wire fraud. Restitution will be determined by the court at a later date.
A co-defendant, Dominique Golden, is currently serving a term of incarceration of 78 months in federal prison.
Onyobeno’s case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and John P. McAdams. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the matter, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in Atlanta.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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