A Nigerian national who is in the U.S. illegally pleaded guilty on February 28 to multiple criminal charges related to his role in operating a romance scheme that defrauded more than $3 million from citizens nationwide, many of whom were elderly.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the multi-year investigation that led to the conviction.
Darlington Akporugo, a 47-year-old criminal alien from Nigeria, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and wire fraud, aiding and abetting.
In his plea, Akporugo admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scheme based in Houston that victimized citizens from Chicago to Kentucky. Akporugo worked with others to lure victims through online romances and then induce them to send money to various bank accounts he controlled.
To further the fraud, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake names to contact victims on social media, gain their confidence and then persuade them to invest in non-existent businesses or provide funds for invented personal circumstances.
As part of his plea, Akporugo admitted to approaching potential victims, primarily on social media sites such as Facebook, and then directing them to send money to either his or his associates’ bank accounts. That money was often then directed overseas.
In addition to collecting cash and wire transfers, Akpourgo also admitted to having victims open lines of credit in his name and, in one case, purchasing a luxury vehicle for his personal use.
During the investigation, authorities were able to identify more than 25 victims of the scheme, the majority of whom were either retired or of advanced age.
Akporugo is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
