On November 13, 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that ten men had been charged in an alleged money-laundering conspiracy tied to romance scams. Prosecutors said online actors used false identities to build relationships, solicit money from victims, and conceal proceeds through bank accounts and vehicle exports. The charges were allegations, not findings of guilt; the DOJ said the defendants were presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
What prosecutors alleged
According to the indictment as summarized by the DOJ and CyberScoop, people overseas allegedly posed on dating sites and social media as U.S. residents working abroad. They allegedly contacted victims through platforms and services including dating apps, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, email, and text messages.
The requests allegedly escalated over time. A person might first ask for small gifts, such as iTunes gift cards or cell phones, then seek larger sums supposedly needed to complete overseas projects or return to the United States. Prosecutors alleged that victims were directed to send money to accounts controlled by defendants.
The indictment further alleged that money was transferred among accounts opened using aliases and fraudulent identity documents, with the purpose of obscuring its source and the co-conspirators’ identities. It also alleged that salvaged vehicles and car parts were bought for export, usually to Nigeria, as another way to conceal proceeds.
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Two reported victim losses
CyberScoop’s November 14, 2019 report described two alleged losses. They are individual examples, not an aggregate loss figure for the case.
| Reported case example | Amount | What the report said |
|---|---|---|
| Person using the alias Robert Wilson | $201,740 | CyberScoop reported that a victim sent this amount after the online persona claimed to be a civil engineer traveling to Hong Kong for a project. |
| Person using the name John Olu | Roughly $196,500 | CyberScoop reported that a Centerville, Ohio, victim mailed this amount to help construct an oil refinery in Oklahoma; the report said the funds were divided among the thieves. |
The two examples should not be added together or treated as the total alleged loss in the indictment. The DOJ announcement and CyberScoop report do not establish a broader aggregate loss figure for this case.
What was known about arrests at the time
The federal grand jury returned the indictment in October 2019. The DOJ said it was unsealed on November 13, 2019, after early-morning operations. At the time of that announcement, seven defendants had been apprehended: five in Norman, Oklahoma; one in Brooklyn, New York; and one in Long Beach, California. Three others remained at large then. That is the announcement-time status, not a current update on the case.
The DOJ release named Afeez Olajide Adebara, Oluwaseun John Ogundele, Joshua Nnandom Ditep, Paul Usoro, Chibuzo Godwin Obiefuna Jr, Jamiu Ibukun Adedeji, and Tobiloba Kehinde, along with three defendants whose names were unknown in the release. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated with assistance from FBI field offices in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. Prosecutors were from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Fraud Section and the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Allegations are not proof of guilt
The DOJ’s announcement described the indictment as charging ten men with a conspiracy; it did not establish their guilt. The department stated: “The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.” The two sources cited here do not establish later court outcomes for every defendant.
Quick Recap
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, “10 Men Involved in Nigerian Romance Scams Indicted for Money Laundering Conspiracy,” November 13, 2019 (updated February 5, 2025).
- Jeff Stone, CyberScoop, “Nigerian romance scammers swiped thousands of dollars from individuals, U.S. prosecutors say,” November 14, 2019.
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