A United States federal jury has found Saheed Sunday Owolabi guilty of multiple cybercrime offences, including wire fraud, money laundering and involvement in romance scams.
Owolabi, 34, was convicted on Wednesday for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Nigerian, who is scheduled for sentencing in January 2026, faces a possible 40-year jail term, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release upon completion of his sentence.
Court filings presented during the trial showed that Owolabi posed as a “woman to build online romantic relationships with men in the United States, luring them into sending him money and their personal information”.
Investigators also detailed how he and his accomplices channelled illicit funds through bank accounts belonging to unsuspecting victims to conceal proceeds from other fraudulent activities.
One of the schemes linked to him involved stealing and laundering more than $120,000 from a victim in the Eastern District of North Carolina, while authorities say he equally defrauded hundreds more across the country.
“Fraud schemes like this drain millions from hardworking people in our communities,” U.S. attorney Ellis Boyle said.
“We will continue to work with our federal partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who abuse the anonymity of the internet to enrich themselves by stealing from our citizens.”
