Daniel Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian has pleaded guilty to $405,000 romance scam in the United States of America.
Inweregbu, was said to have been involved in a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana said the defendant is charged over his connection with a romance scam that led to the loss of $405,000 from American women.
In a statement issued on Friday, the acting US attorney, Michael M. Simpson confirmed that the defendant entered a plea on August 11.
According to Simpson, the Nigerian appeared before Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown.
He allegedly operated with his co-conspirators between July 2017 and December 2018 to scam his victims.
Court documents show that Inweregbu used a fake online name Larry Pham to lure unsuspecting victims to dating sites.
He is also targeting US citizens on various social media platforms by false representations and promises.
The statement added that the proceeds of their crimes were usually transferred to domestic accounts under their control and later laundered through third parties to mask their origin and ownership.
“Inweregbu’s scheme resulted in actual and intended losses of over $405,000 to the victims.
“Thereafter, Inweregbu and his co-conspirators laundered the funds, by conducting financial transactions using the proceeds of their wire and mail fraud scheme, designed in whole or in part to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds, by directing the victims’ funds through intermediaries,” Simpson said in the statement.
Inweregbu faces up to 20 years in prison, for the fraud charge; three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
He will also face another 20 years for the money laundering count, with three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000.
With sentencing scheduled to take place on December 4, Inweregbu would also face a mandatory assessment fee.
