Federal Court Sentences Romance Scam Leader to Over 10 Years in Prison

PROVIDENCE, RI – An Atlanta man who defrauded elderly individuals in Rhode Island and other states out of millions of dollars through a romance scam and money laundering scheme was sentenced on Tuesday to over 10 years in federal prison.

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 44, and others, created false personas and utilized a variety of online apps and games, such as Words with Friends, or dating applications to befriend and target potential victims. Onyobeno and his co-conspirators would then use fraudulent representations and emotional appeals to gain their victims’ trust, in order to convince those victims to send money to help with a purported personal crisis or urgent financial situation.

In some instances, conspirators falsely claimed to be military members stationed overseas, who needed funds to send their belongings home or to travel back to the U.S.; in other cases, they claimed to be U.S. contractors stuck on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Victims were instructed to mail checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks to post office boxes or to wire money to bank accounts managed by members of the conspiracy, including Onyobeno himself. In many cases, victims were convinced to send more money, on multiple occasions, based on conspirators’ made-up claims of unexpected and urgent circumstances. In yet other instances, conspirators would pose as government officials and tell victims that additional money was needed to deliver parcels that had been sent from overseas.

Once these funds were sent by victims, the conspirators laundered the funds to conceal their origin. As part of the money laundering conspiracy, Onyobeno and others created business entities and bank accounts into which ill-gotten victim funds were deposited, and later withdrawn. According to information presented to the court, victims are known to have lost more than $5.8 million dollars to members of this conspiracy.

“To those who believe that they can help themselves to the hard-earned savings of Rhode Islanders through deception and fraud, wherever you are, know that we will find you and bring you to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “And to members of the public– I implore you- be skeptical of requests for funds from anyone you don’t know well, and take steps to protect yourself.”

“Wisdom Onyobeno preyed on the vulnerable causing not only significant financial losses but unmeasurable emotional damage,” said Ketty D. Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Postal Inspectors, working with our partners, will continue to target these predators and bring them to justice.”

Onyobeno pleaded guilty on April 28, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and wire fraud. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 121 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Restitution will be determined by the court at a later date.

A co-defendant in this matter, Dominique Golden, is currently serving a term of incarceration of 78 months in federal prison.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in Atlanta.

The DOJ said if you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-372-8311.