Nigerian man extradited to US Over alleged romance fraud scheme

By Favour Ulebor

A Nigerian man, Samuel Ugberaese, has been taken to the United States over alleged involvement in a romance scam and money laundering case targeting elderly victims.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the United States Department of Justice said the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, arrested Ugberaese after he was brought from Nigeria to the United States.

The statement said a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina filed charges against him on January 22, 2021.

It added that United States Magistrate Judge Brian S. Myers ordered that he should remain in custody while the case continues.

According to the indictment, Ugberaese and others allegedly used false stories and promises to deceive victims and convince them to send money.

The authorities also alleged that he worked with a co defendant, Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule, to move money through different bank accounts, including accounts linked to export companies, to hide where the money came from.

Ugberaese is facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

If found guilty, he could face up to 40 years in prison.

The statement in parts, “The FBI arrested Samuel Ugberaese after he was extradited from Nigeria to the United States on charges relating to cross-border romance scams that targeted victims in the United States and elsewhere.

“A federal grand jury returned the indictment in the Eastern District of North Carolina on Jan. 22, 2021. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian S. Myers the Eastern District of North Carolina ordered Ugberaese detained pending trial.

“According to the indictment, Ugberaese and his co-conspirators used romance scheme techniques, including false stories and promises, to exploit and defraud victims into transferring money on their behalf.

“The indictment further alleges that Ugberaese conspired with a co-defendant Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule, a naturalized U.S. citizen, to conduct financial transactions through his bank account network, including accounts registered to purported export companies, to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the criminal proceeds.

“Ugberaese is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.”

The statement said the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Law Enforcement Attaché Office in Abuja, the United States Department of State, the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Office of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force INTERPOL, and the South African Police Service helped in securing his arrest and transfer.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig is handling the case.

The United States authorities said the charges are still allegations and that the defendant remains innocent until proven guilty in court.

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