A 30-year-old East Hartford man who played the part of a devoted online suitor to squeeze money from victims across the country is heading to federal prison, after a Des Moines judge said his role in a nationwide romance-scam conspiracy left people in deep financial trouble. Prosecutors say the operation wiped out nest eggs and pushed victims into serious hardship, and the court has ordered more than $1.5 million in restitution.
Naabanyin Aniagyei-Cobbold was sentenced on March 5, 2026, to nine years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,554,442.46 in restitution. He will also serve three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Iowa.
Local reporting identifies Aniagyei-Cobbold as a 30-year-old East Hartford resident who prosecutors say posed as a romantic partner online to convince people to send money. Many victims reportedly emptied retirement accounts, sold homes and vehicles, returned to work after retirement, and borrowed heavily from friends and family, according to News 12 The Bronx.
How Investigators Say The Scam Worked
Prosecutors say Aniagyei-Cobbold ran a sham company called Alpha Distributions LLC that acted as a collection hub for the scam. They allege he recruited and coached at least one other person, used a bogus website and bank accounts to move money, and produced fake invoices and other fabricated paperwork when a federal grand jury subpoena landed on his doorstep. “Romance scammers prey on victims when they are at their most vulnerable,” authorities said, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Iowa.
Romance Fraud’s National Impact
Romance and confidence scams remain a costly national threat. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center logged about 17,910 confidence and romance complaints in 2024, with reported losses of roughly $672 million, a reminder that this is no fringe crime category. Scammers increasingly rely on fake profiles, money-mule networks, and cryptocurrency channels to move cash, according to the FBI IC3 2024 report.
Sentence, Restitution And What Comes Next
In addition to Aniagyei-Cobbold’s prison term and restitution order, a co-defendant, Nana Takyiwa Adonu, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, 2026. Local coverage and court filings state that federal and county law enforcement handled the investigation and the case was prosecuted in the Southern District of Iowa, according to outlets including KILJ.
Officials say that if you suspect an online relationship is a scam, you should cut off contact, alert your financial institution, and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or consult the agency’s scams-and-safety guidance. Iowa residents can also submit a consumer complaint to the Iowa Attorney General’s office for help; see the FBI and Iowa Attorney General for more information.
