Nigerian Man in Texas Indicted Over Alleged $300,000 Scam Against US Government Agency
- A Nigerian man living in Texas has been indicted over an alleged fraud scheme targeting a US government agency
- US prosecutors accused him of using romance scams and fake government invoices in the alleged operation
- The case has formed part of a federal investigation into suspected transnational fraud networks
A Nigerian man living in Texas has been charged in the United States over his alleged role in a fraud operation that prosecutors say used romance scams and fake government invoices to steal more than $300,000 from a US agency.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said a federal grand jury indicted 45-year-old Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, a resident of Frisco, Texas, on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
Source: Getty Images
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
According to US Attorney Brian D. Miller, Udugba and others allegedly used dating websites and social media to build fake romantic relationships with victims. Prosecutors said the victims were later persuaded to act as money mules by receiving and cashing fraudulently obtained cheques.
Investigators also alleged that members of the group sent spoofed emails from Nigeria while pretending to represent the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The emails falsely claimed the recruited money mules were contractors and consultants who had completed work on government-funded projects.
Authorities said the agency's grant administrator approved payments of more than $300,000 after receiving the fake invoices.
Source: Getty Images
Investigation and possible sentence
The case was investigated by the FBI, the US Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General. Prosecutors said it forms part of a wider federal effort against transnational fraud networks.
If found guilty, Udugba faces up to 30 years in federal prison, supervised release, and a fine.
The US Attorney's Office noted that "an indictment is merely an allegation," and Udugba "is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court."
US jails man over $97m investment scam
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a US court sentenced Geoffrey Auyeung to five years in prison for laundering proceeds from a $97.1 million investment fraud linked to cryptocurrency accounts.
Prosecutors said the scheme channelled funds through dozens of bank accounts before transferring cryptocurrency to Binance accounts allegedly controlled by individuals based in Nigeria and Russia.
Source: Legit.ng
