A Houston man has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with a romance scheme that defrauded victims across the United States, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Darlington Akporugo, 47, admitted his role as a key participant in the scheme based in Houston. The operation targeted individuals from Chicago to Kentucky, many of whom were elderly. Akporugo and his associates used online romances to deceive victims into sending money to bank accounts under their control.
The fraudulent activities involved using fake identities on social media platforms to gain victims' trust before convincing them to invest in fictitious businesses or provide funds for fabricated personal situations.
Akporugo acknowledged approaching potential victims primarily through social media sites like Facebook and directing them to transfer money either to his accounts or those of his associates. These funds were often sent overseas.
In addition to receiving cash and wire transfers, Akporugo confessed that he persuaded victims to open lines of credit in his name and even facilitated the purchase of a luxury vehicle for himself.
Authorities identified over 25 victims during the investigation, most of whom were retired or elderly. The total losses from the fraud exceeded $3 million.
"As we unfortunately have seen, victims of romance scams suffer tremendous financial loss, sometimes amounting to their entire life savings," said Ganjei. "Those who have fallen prey to such fraudsters are often too embarrassed to come forward and report the incident to law enforcement. Although this is an understandable reaction, we encourage victims to nonetheless come forward, as their story may help prevent future victimization of others."
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will sentence Akporugo on June 6. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000. Until then, he remains in custody.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuting the case.