A married couple who previously lived in New Jersey admitted they stole at least US$4.5mil (RM21.37mil) from more than 100 victims in an online romance scam that lasted for more than three years.
Former Maple Shade resident Martins Friday Inalegwu, 35, and his wife Steincy Mathieu, 27, met their victims by using online dating and social media websites and later had contact with victims by email and phone to pave the way for the fraud, the US Attorney’s Office for New Jersey said.
The two also ran apartment rental scams, authorities said.
After striking up relationships, Inalegwu and Mathieu asked the victims to send money to them or their associates for made-up emergencies during a scam that ran from October 2016 to May 2020, federal prosecutors said.
The victims agreed to wire money or mail checks to Inalegwu and/or Mathieu. In some instances, the couple received money by Western Union or MoneyGram or arranged for their targets to send money to their co-conspirators’ bank accounts in other countries, including in Turkey and Nigeria. The couple also paid no income taxes on the money they illegally received.
Inalegwu pleaded guilty Monday to conducting an unlawful money transmitting business and four counts of tax evasion. Mathieu pleaded guilty on Nov 28, 2023 to two counts tax evasion.
Another Burlington County woman – Oluwaseyi Fatolu, 56, of Springfield – pleaded guilty on Jan 8 to operating an unlawful money transmitting business. Charges are still pending against Nigerian national Moses Chukwuebuka Alexander, according to court documents.
“All fraud schemes hurt victims who end up losing part or all of their hard-earned fortunes, savings or retirements,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said in a statement.
“However, romance scams take on an insidious level of harm. Few of us would want to admit we fell for this type of scam, but we’re all human and scammers prey on that fact. The subjects are owning up to their crimes, but it may not provide much solace for the victims left broke and heartbroken.” – nj.com/Tribune News Service