Nigerian man faces 40 years in U.S. prison over romance scam, money laundering 

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has secured the extradition of Samuel Ugberaese, a Nigerian national, to face prosecution in the United States over his alleged involvement in an international romance fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted victims across the U.S. and other countries.

The U.S Embassy in Abuja on Tuesday, in a statement noted that Ugberaese was arrested by the FBI after being extradited from Nigeria following an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina on January 22, 2021.

Following his appearance before the court, Brian Myers, United States Magistrate Judge ordered that he remain in detention pending trial.

According to US prosecutors, Ugberaese allegedly participated in a sophisticated cross-border romance scam operation in which victims were deceived through fabricated emotional relationships and false promises designed to gain their trust and manipulate them into sending money.

Investigators alleged that the scheme relied on classic romance fraud tactics commonly deployed by international cybercrime syndicates, including the use of fake online identities, fabricated personal stories, and emotional manipulation to persuade victims to transfer funds under false pretences.

Court documents further alleged that Ugberaese worked alongside Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule,  co-defendant and a naturalised U.S. citizen, to move and conceal proceeds generated from the fraudulent activities.

The indictment claimed that Kolaogunbule operated a network of bank accounts, including accounts linked to purported export companies, which were allegedly used to disguise the origin, ownership, and movement of illicit funds obtained from victims.

US authorities said the financial transactions were structured to conceal the nature and source of the proceeds, enabling the syndicate to launder money generated from the romance scams through multiple accounts and channels.

Ugberaese is facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

If convicted on both charges, he could face a combined statutory maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment under US federal law.

The statement disclosed that several agencies on both sides played key roles in securing the suspect’s arrest and extradition.

Among the agencies involved were the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Abuja, the US Department of State, Nigeria’s Ministry of Justice and Office of the Attorney General, the Nigeria Police Force through INTERPOL, and the South African Police Service.

The prosecution is being handled by the Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, with Adam Hulbig, Assistant US Attorney leading the case.