A Nigerian, Saheed Owolabi, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by a United States court for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar fraud and money laundering operation.
The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Myers II, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Findings revealed that Owolabi posed as a woman online to initiate relationships with unsuspecting American men, whom he later manipulated into sending money and disclosing personal details.
Authorities further disclosed that the convict, alongside his accomplices, exploited bank accounts belonging to victims to process funds linked to other fraudulent activities.
According to the statement, the syndicate defrauded multiple victims, including one individual in the Eastern District of North Carolina who lost over $120,000.
Owolabi was subsequently arrested, prosecuted, and convicted on charges bordering on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder illicit funds.
In delivering the judgment, the court described him as a key figure in a well-coordinated criminal network, noting that the operation involved sophisticated financial transactions and caused considerable hardship to victims.
Prosecutors also tendered evidence recovered from his mobile device, which reportedly showed how proceeds of the fraud were spent on luxury items.
Commenting on the outcome, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Anthony Boyle, warned that perpetrators of such crimes would be tracked and prosecuted irrespective of their location.
The conviction adds to the number of Nigerians currently serving sentences in the United States over financial crimes.
Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have also indicated plans to deport another Nigerian, Ayobami Omoniyi, after he completes a 32-month prison term for his role in a $202,000 money laundering scheme.
Investigations showed that Omoniyi and his collaborators operated an illegal money transfer system connected to business email compromise fraud, moving funds obtained from victims, including a firm in Australia.
