A Brooklyn Park con artist has admitted to playing a key role in a romance scam that swindled more than $2 million from unsuspecting, primarily elderly individuals. Dodzi Kwame Kordorwu, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, a result of masterminding a heartless scheme that preyed on the affections and bank accounts of the lovelorn.

The scam, which lasted from May 2018 to June 2022, involved fraudsters creating fake online personas to woo their victims, many of them seniors looking for companionship. According to a statement from U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger obtained by the Department of Justice, these fictional characters, often posing as U.S. diplomats or military officials, cultivated romantic relationships via social media applications before convincing their marks to send them money for various fabricated reasons.

Throughout this elaborate ruse, Kordorwu received over 90 parcels packed with ill-gotten gains, totaling approximately $2.3 million. Court documents reveal that Kordorwu pocketed a portion of these funds for himself and distributed the rest among his co-conspirators. His plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud, yesterday, with a sentencing hearing slated for a future date yet to be determined.

This nefarious scheme, which touched countless lives, came to an end thanks to the diligent efforts of the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and a Digital Forensic Investigator from Hennepin County. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis, are handling the prosecution, ensuring that justice is served for the victims who were misled by false promises of love, and stripped of their savings.