Four Nigerians have been sentenced to prison in the United States for their involvement in a romance scam operation that defrauded numerous victims.
The individuals sentenced are Patrick Edah, a 40-year-old Nigerian living in Toronto, Canada; Efe Egbowawa, 41, based in Atlanta; Igocha Mac-Okor, 40, also from Atlanta; and Kay Ozegbe, 44, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Atlanta.
The four were found guilty of conspiring to commit money laundering, using fake identities and email accounts to trick victims into sending money.
According to court documents, they engaged in fraudulent activities on dating websites, gaming apps, social media, and other online platforms, targeting victims between 2017 and November 2021.
Their scheme involved posing as potential friends or romantic partners to build trust with victims, eventually persuading them to send money through various methods, including wire transfers, checks, and package delivery services.
Edah, Egbowawa, Mac-Okor, and Ozegbe acted as “money mules,” helping to obscure the origins of the illicit funds.
The court documents revealed that they collaborated with others to transfer the fraudulent proceeds through layers of bank accounts and shell corporations, making it difficult to trace the money.
In terms of sentencing, Egbowawa received 60 months in federal prison on April 17, 2024. Ozegbe was sentenced to 36 months on September 23, 2024. On October 30, 2024, Edah was handed a 30-month sentence, while Mac-Okor received a 50-month prison term.
