A 45-year-old Nigerian man based in Frisco, Texas, faces federal charges over his alleged role in orchestrating romance and business email scams that prosecutors say bilked a US government agency of more than $300,000. Okeoghene Patrick Udugba was indicted by a grand jury in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, the United States Attorney's Office announced.
According to US Attorney Brian D. Miller, Udugba and his alleged co-conspirators ran overlapping schemes targeting victims across multiple US states.
The suspects used social media and dating websites to build fake romantic relationships with unsuspecting people, prosecutors alleged.
Once victims were groomed, they were recruited as money mules to receive and cash fraudulent cheques on the group's behalf, the indictment showed. The scheme operated across state lines with careful coordination between the conspirators.
The conspiracy also involved impersonating officials from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), prosecutors said. Emails sent from spoofed Nigerian addresses falsely claimed that FWS grant funds should be used to pay supposed invoices from contractors and consultants, according to the charges.
The recruited money mules were identified as people who'd allegedly performed work on grant-eligible projects, the indictment alleged. The scheme worked: FWS administrators issued payments exceeding $300,000 based on the fraudulent emails and invoices.
Multiple federal agencies joined forces on the investigation, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General. Assistant US Attorney Sarah R.
Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of a broader effort to combat transnational crime networks. The Homeland Security Task Force initiative, created under Executive Order 14159, targets fraud rings, human trafficking and cross-border criminal activity.
The case also advances the Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division, launched to intensify the fight against schemes defrauding Americans. If found guilty, Udugba could face up to 30 years in federal prison, supervised release and fines.
US authorities stressed that the indictment represents an allegation only and Udugba remains innocent unless convicted in court.
