A 47-year-old Nigerian, Darlington Akporugo has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy for a romance scheme that targeted victims across the United States, many of whom were elderly, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced.
Akporugo, who was arrested a month before his wedding, admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scam that defrauded victims from Chicago to Kentucky.
Working with accomplices, he used online relationships to manipulate victims into sending money to bank accounts under his control.
To further the scheme, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake identities to connect with victims on social media, gaining their trust before persuading them to invest in fictitious businesses or provide financial assistance for fabricated emergencies. (Vanguard)