A Brooklyn Park man, Dodzi Kwame Kordorwu, 38, has received a sentence of 63 months in prison for orchestrating a romance fraud causing more than $2.3 million in losses, primarily targeting elderly individuals seeking companionship online, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
By setting his sights on the most tender of human needs – the need for love and connection – Kordorwu exploited his victims, albeit experienced loneliness, who fell for an elaborate facade of romantic overtures only to find themselves financially gutted. As mentioned in Hoodline, his scheme ran from May 2018 up until June 2022, fooling victims into sending money for fabricated reasons. They were duped by criminals hiding behind the digital veils of senior U.S. diplomats or military officials on social media applications.
Once ensnared in this web of deceit, the victims were convinced to part with significant sums, often sent to various addresses provided by Kordorwu. He acted as a collector and distributor of these ill-gotten gains, establishing multiple dummy corporations and bank accounts in a bid to shroud the scheme's trail in layers of faux legitimacy. In committing his crimes, Kordorwu also personally engaged with the victims to ensure the scheme's continuity and the flow of money into his pockets and those of his cohorts.
In a statement upon handing down the sentence on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud highlighted the particularly egregious nature of preying on the elderly, describing Kordorwu's actions as nothing short of cruelty. Regarding dispersing the proceeds, it was noted in court that some were kept by Kordorwu for his personal use – a clear indicator of his entrenchment in this heartless operation.
The comprehensive investigation that brought Kordorwu's operation to an end was conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with a Digital Forensic Investigator from Hennepin County. The case against Kordorwu was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis. Their efforts have concluded in Kordorwu not only facing a prison term but also being held accountable through three years of supervised release and an order to pay full restitution totaling $2,144,291.86 to his victims.
