Nigerian in U.S. faces 30 years in prison over alleged $300,000 romance scam

Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, a 45-year-old Nigerian resident in the United States, has been indicted by a federal grand jury over his alleged involvement in a sophisticated romance scam and business email compromise (BEC) scheme that allegedly defrauded a U.S. government agency of more than $300,000.

The indictment, announced on Wednesday by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, charges Udugba, who resides in Frisco, Texas, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, as well as money laundering.

According to Brian Miller, U.S. Attorney, Udugba and his co-conspirators allegedly operated overlapping romance fraud and business email compromise schemes, targeting victims across several U.S. states.

Prosecutors alleged that members of the group used social media platforms and online dating websites to establish fraudulent romantic relationships with unsuspecting victims.

The victims were reportedly manipulated over time and eventually persuaded to act as money mules by receiving and cashing fraudulently obtained cheques.

“Udugba and others utilised social media and dating websites to meet and establish purported romantic relationships with persons in multiple states.

“Those persons were groomed and ultimately used by Udugba and others as money mules to receive and cash fraudulently obtained checks,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Investigators further alleged that the syndicate employed a business email compromise strategy by sending emails from spoofed addresses originating in Nigeria while impersonating officials of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).

According to prosecutors, the fraudulent emails instructed grant administrators to divert government grant funds to settle fabricated invoices.

“The invoices falsely claimed that the money mules were contractors and consultants engaged by the Fish and Wildlife Service to execute grant-eligible projects.

“Members of the conspiracy sent emails from ‘spoofed’ addresses in Nigeria, claiming to be representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

“The spoofed emails directed that FWS grant funds be used to pay fabricated invoices, which falsely represented that the money mules were contractors and consultants of FWS who had performed work on grant-eligible projects”, Miller said.

Authorities said the scheme succeeded in deceiving the agency’s grant administrator into authorising payments exceeding $300,000.

If convicted, Udugba faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. He could also be subjected to a term of supervised release after completing any prison sentence and be ordered to pay substantial fines.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, however, emphasised that the indictment is merely an allegation and does not constitute proof of guilt.

“The indictments and criminal information are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court,” the statement said.

The latest indictment adds to a growing list of fraud-related cases involving Nigerians prosecuted in the United States.

In April, Ifeanyi Ugwu, another U.S.-based Nigerian, pleaded guilty before a federal court in the Eastern District of California to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business that processed more than $5 million in illegally obtained funds.

According to Eric Grant, U.S. Attorney, Ugwu, 49, of Bakersfield, admitted operating the illegal money-transmitting business between December 2020 and August 2023.

He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison when sentenced.