A federal grand jury in the United States (US) has found two Nigerian nationals guilty of internet fraud following a trial that lasted four days.
According to a justice department announcement, Olutayo Sunday Ogunlaja, 39, and Abel Adeyi Daramola, 37, were convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico in Albuquerque on Monday.
The duo connived with other suspects to cheat a woman of up to $560,000 in a romance scam, officials said. The convicts were part of a syndicate that included Nigerian celebrity auto dealer Adesuwa Ogiozee. Mrs Ogiozee denied all fraud charges, accusing the FBI and other U.S. authorities of targeting her because of her Nigerian roots.
“On 27 September 2016, the victim wired approximately $28,000 to a Woodforest Bank account in the name of Daramola Cars, as instructed by the fraudulent “Glenn Brown” persona. Daramola subsequently wired $18,000 to a seafood importer in Denmark and issued a check for $14,000.
“Daramola denied any knowledge of the romance scheme. However, the FBI’s investigation uncovered extensive evidence, including text and WhatsApp correspondence on Daramola’s phone, revealing his role as a provider of bank accounts for various fraud schemes, including romance fraud schemes.
Ogunlaja’s involvement included using his Bank of America account to receive fraudulent funds. Specifically, on 9 March and 15 March 2016, “Glenn Brown” instructed the victim to deposit $20,000 cash into Ogunlaja’s account. Following these deposits, Ogunlaja made multiple cash withdrawals and transfers to Daramola’s account”, authorities said.
Both convicts were asked to remain on bail until their sentencing, which was not immediately scheduled. Prosecutors said the duo faced up to 20 years in prison, although it was not immediately clear how much time would be recommended in a pre-sentencing hearing.
