BENTON, Ill. (WSIL) — A 28-year-old from Nigeria was sentenced in southern Illinois in connection to what officials call a “romance scam.”
The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Illinois, reported Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, 28 of Warri, Nigeria, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge, along with another charge of wire fraud.
The judge sentenced Uzokpa to seven years in federal prison in what court officials state as a “romance scam.” Officials say the scam resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars from at least a dozen victims across the United States. These victims were primarily elderly or disabled women who were reported to have sent money at the request of a romantic partner in which they met online.
The judge also ordered Uzokpa to pay $329,470 in restitution to the victims.
Court documents stated the scam happened between March 2020 to February 2021. In one section of the report, Uzokpa was stated to have taken advantage of the victims by developing personal, romantic relationships under false pretenses to gain their trust.
The report adds, Uzokpa also used other U.S.-based women, one of which was a woman from Effingham, Illinois, as what the court calls “money mules,” and then collected funds from the victims and then transferred to him in Nigeria.
“Targeting vulnerable people to exploit through romance scams is cruel, as the perpetrators not only steal the victim’s money, but they also manipulate their emotions and rob them of a genuine relationship,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The defendant’s callous conduct is worthy of this significant sentence, and I applaud the FBI’s efforts to pursue justice for the victims.”
“Overseas scammers can be difficult to identify and investigate but this case is an example of the strength of FBI’s global footprint. The FBI is determined to prevent victimization of the elderly and will not hesitate to reach across geographical boundaries to do so,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “We can’t stress enough how important it is to be aware of the red flags associated with these types of scams. Be cautious when someone you’ve never met in person, begins asking for money or personal information, and don’t hesitate to call us if you suspect you’re being victimized.”
The report from the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Illinois, also stated…
Uzokpa and his co-conspirators used aliases when communicating with the victims and often told victims they were Americans working abroad in a high-paying profession, such as a doctor or surgeon. Once the victims felt a romantic attachment to the scammers, Uzokpa and others often concocted false stories about why they needed money—such as telling the victims that they could not access their bank accounts and needed funds for “processing fees.” Uzokpa and his co-defendants instructed victims to send funds using personal checks, cashier checks, electronic fund transfers or gift cards.
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