A US court has sentenced Saheed Sunday Owolabi, a Nigerian national, to 15 years in prison for defrauding victims of more than $1.5 million in a romance scam scheme.
A jury found him guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
According to the US Department of Justice, Owolabi used fake online identities, including posing as a woman, to build trust with victims before tricking them into sending money and sensitive information.
Prosecutors say he and his co-conspirators also used victims’ bank accounts to launder funds from other fraud schemes, including stealing more than $120,000 from one victim in North Carolina.