The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee reports that a group of Nigerians conned a Western Tennessean out of more than $400,000 and sentenced them to federal prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
The United States and Canada jailed four Nigerians for their involvement in a romance and investment scam against victims across the United States, including Western Tennessee.
They were all convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a scheme that used phony identities and email accounts on Internet dating sites to dupe people into transferring or mailing money to shell firms and bogus agents.
In June 2023, a Federal Grand Jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted four individuals. Here is a list of the individuals who have been convicted.
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- Patrick Edah , 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Toronto, Canada area,
- Efe Egbowawa , 41, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area,
- Igocha Mac-Okor , 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area, and
- Kay Ozegbe , 44, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Atlanta.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, from 2017 to November 2021, the men used fictitious identities on social media, gaming applications, dating websites, and other platforms to trick victims into friendships and romantic relationships.
They then persuaded victims to make payments by wire transfer, check, US mail, and package delivery services. If the victim sent money to the scammer, the scammer would gradually demand higher sums.
According to reports, scores of victims lost anywhere from a few thousand to several hundred thousand dollars.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the fraud cost one person in Western Tennessee more than $400,000 over the course of several months.
The four guys collaborated with other members of the conspiracy to shift the fraud proceeds through multiple bank accounts and shell businesses, thereby concealing the sources of the funds and making them difficult to track.
Federal prison sentences for Egbowawa were 60 months, Ozegbe 36 months, Edah 30 months, and Mac-Okor 50 months.
“These individuals used deception and fraud to prey on the vulnerable, causing unmeasurable emotional damage and significant financial losses,” stated Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI’s Nashville Field Office and Memphis Resident Agency. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target these predators and bring them to justice.”
According to Daniel Irwin, Director of Public Relations for the Better Business Bureau, the Scam Tracker on their website allows victims to submit their negative experiences. He says he has heard similar accounts from people of all ages.
“We recently had a 21-year-old contact our office after falling victim to a scam. “He thought he was in a relationship and sent a lot of money,” Irwin explained. “However, we’ve discovered that romance frauds have primarily targeted the elderly. They’re lonely, occasionally bereaved, and then someone unexpectedly strikes up a discussion with them.”
According to Irwin, many victims do not receive their money back and instead utilize their platform to educate others about the dangers of online dating.
“In the vast majority of romance scam cases, it is quite improbable that you will receive your money back. However, he emphasized the importance of contacting law authorities and filing a report.
Irwin warns that making a police report can protect more than just your money; it can also prevent the scammer from obtaining your identity.
“Especially with elderly people, they may be tricked into giving up their social security number thinking it was safe because they thought they were in a real relationship, so oftentimes you might also be a victim of identity theft,” according to Irwin.
