Nigerian Indicted in US for $300,000 Romance Fraud

Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, a 45-year-old Nigerian residing in Frisco, Texas, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. The indictment, announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, alleges that Udugba orchestrated overlapping romance scams and business email compromise schemes.

Udugba and his associates reportedly used social media and dating websites to establish fake romantic relationships with individuals across multiple states, ultimately using these victims as money mules to receive and cash fraudulently obtained checks. The indictment states that the syndicate sent spoofed emails from Nigeria, posing as representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, directing payments for fabricated invoices.

These fraudulent activities resulted in payments exceeding $300,000. The case is under investigation by multiple agencies, including the FBI and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General, with Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd prosecuting.

The maximum penalty for these offenses is 30 years of imprisonment.