A federal jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina has found 34-year-old Nigerian national Saheed Sunday Owolabi guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Evidence presented at trial shows Owolabi participated in several cyber-fraud schemes – including posing as a woman online to form fake romantic relationships with men in the United States, commonly known as a “romance scam”. Through these deceptive relationships, victims were persuaded to send money and personal information.
Investigators determined that Owolabi and his associates laundered money using bank accounts provided by the victims. In one case alone, they stole and laundered more than US$120,000 from a victim in the eastern North Carolina region – while defrauding hundreds more across the country.
During the COVID-19 pandemic they also exploited a pending home closing, sending spoofed emails instructing the victim to redirect funds into accounts under their control.
Court documents also revealed that Owolabi continued directing the movement and distribution of illicit funds: he coordinated transfers, instructed associates how to funnel the money, and personally directed portions to himself.
Investigators recovered chat messages in which Owolabi admitted he was running a romance scam until he realized he was actually communicating with another fraudster. That individual mocked Owolabi’s efforts and told him to “learn how to do a clean job.”
At sentencing, scheduled for January 2026, Owolabi faces up to 40 years in prison, a fine of US$250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
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