In the troubling aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudulent activity regarding relief efforts has surged. Recently, Osakpamwan Henry Omoruyi and Osaretin Godspower Omoruyi, two Nigerian men, received a sentence in Boston for their part in an intricate money laundering and bank fraud scheme, resulting in millions of dollars lost through pandemic fraud, romance scams, and other manipulative online tactics according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
The fraudulent operation, running between 2019 and 2021, primarily consisted of romance scams; criminals created fabricated online identities to lure victims into a false sense of trust and affection. The culprits manipulated and defrauded their victims using the mock premise of an intimate relationship. The majority of the fraud proceeds were obtained through these romance scams. To facilitate their operations, the defendants opened multiple bank accounts under faux companies and individuals, utilizing counterfeit foreign passports. The accounts were utilized to handle fraud proceeds from a variety of scams run by their collaborators. These schemes comprised of pandemic unemployment assistance fraud and other online scams on top of romance scams, as the DOJ states.
Both individuals were found guilty of one count of bank fraud, one count of bank fraud conspiracy, and one count of money laundering conspiracy after an eight-day jury trial in June 2023. Judge Patti B. Saris of the U.S. District Court sentenced them to 78 months and 72 months, respectively. In total, the fraudulent bank accounts involved in the scheme received over $2 million, the majority of which was transferred to overseas accounts controlled by the defendants and their co-conspirators.
Several law enforcement and government agencies collaborated to ensure that justice was served. Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, responded to the verdicts, "Their actions were shameful. They capitalized on a public health crisis, stole millions from hardworking Americans and forwarded that money to overseas accomplices.”
The commitment of various agencies to locate and hold those accountable for exploiting communities struggling with issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and loneliness through deceitful romantic online relationships is noteworthy. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service all worked in concert to ensure these criminals faced their crimes’ repercussions.
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England, spoke about this case's importance, "These scammers strategically targeted and conned unsuspecting victims." He emphasized the pervasive threat posed by transnational criminal organizations running such scams, primarily victimizing individuals who seek companionship and love online.
However, the fight doesn't end here, despite the sentencing of Osakpamwan Henry Omoruyi and Osaretin Godspower Omoruyi. In the wake of continued pandemic-related fraudulent schemes, it remains critical for vigilance and swift reporting of suspected fraud cases to the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
