US court sentences Nigerian to 15 years for wire fraud, money laundering

Mugshot of Saheed Sunday Owolabi.

A federal courti has sentenced a Nigerian national, Saheed Sunday Owolabi, to 15 years in prison for his role in a large-scale wire fraud and money laundering scheme targeting victims across the country.

Owolabi was convicted by a jury on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, after authorities found that he defrauded victims of over $1.5 million.

According to investigators, Owolabi operated a romance scam in which he posed as a woman to establish online relationships with unsuspecting men in the United States, eventually manipulating them into sending money and sensitive financial information.

Law enforcement authorities said he and his accomplices also used victims’ bank accounts to launder proceeds from other fraudulent activities, including stealing more than $120,000 from a victim in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Speaking on the conviction, FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge, Reid Davis, said the case highlights the agency’s commitment to tackling transnational fraud networks.

“This conviction underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling international fraud and money laundering networks who target victims across the United States,” Davis said.

He added, “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue anyone who targets the U.S. to commit fraud and ensure they are brought to face justice in our U.S. Courts.”

In delivering the sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II ruled that Owolabi played a leading role in a sophisticated criminal network and caused significant financial harm to victims.

The court noted that the defendant acted as “a leader or organizer within an extensive organization,” engaged in complex money laundering activities, and inflicted substantial hardship through his actions.

Prosecutors also presented evidence, including images recovered from Owolabi’s phone, which they said showed how he spent proceeds of the fraud.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, while Assistant United States Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the matter. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina.