Three Nigerians have been charged in a U.S. court for allegedly running a romance and wire fraud scheme that defrauded victims through online impersonation.
Three Nigerians William Elvis, Moses Kolawole Hezekiah, and Destiny Okobeni Oghentega have been charged in the United States over alleged involvement in a romance and wire fraud scheme. The suspects were arraigned before a federal court in Rhode Island on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the United States Department of Justice, the trio and their accomplices allegedly carried out the scheme from around 2021 by impersonating professionals working abroad to build trust with victims online. They reportedly targeted individuals, including an elderly resident, before requesting money under false claims such as medical emergencies and financial difficulties.
Investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that victims sent large sums through gift cards, Bitcoin, and bank transfers to accounts linked to the suspects. Authorities said the identities used in the scam were stolen, with communications and financial transactions traced back to the defendants in Nigeria.
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