No fewer than 11 Nigerians are cooling their heels under the detention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States, over their involvement in romance scams.
They have all been indicted by a US federal grand jury for charges of fraud conspiracy, money laundering, mail and wire fraud conspiracy.
They are said to have made rich widows, divorced persons, and elderly ladies the target of their romance scam.
They were arrested by the FBI during a raid on Wednesday in various parts of the United States including DFW, Eastern District of Texas, Dallas, Lubbock, Los Angeles and charged in the Northern District of Texas.
Those arrested and later charged to court are: David Animashaun, 38; Oluwalobamise Michael Moses, 40; Irabor Fatarr Musa, 51; Ijeoma Okoro, 31; Chukwemeka Orji, 36; Emanuel Stanley Orji, 35; Frederick Orji, 37; Uwadiale Esezobor, 36; Victor Idowu, 36; Afeez Abiola Alao, 37; and Ambrose Sunday Ohide, 47.
The indicted persons face up to 30 years in federal prison for charges against them if they are eventually convicted.
Speaking on the act, Acting U.S. Attorney, Prerak Shah at a press conference that the crimes, “are especially despicable because they rely not only on victims’ lack of internet savvy, but also, their isolation, their loneliness, and sometimes their grief.
“As the victims open their hearts, the perpetrators open their wallets. The only mistake these victims make is being generous to the wrong people.”
According to data by the FBI, more than 20,000 people lost more than $600 million in romance scams in 2020 alone.