Kehinde Fajobi
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that Edwin Okoronkwo, a Nigerian citizen convicted of defrauding multiple Americans, will be deported after serving a 75-month prison sentence.
Okoronkwo and his wife, Julie Okoronkwo, orchestrated an elaborate catfishing scam, using stolen identities to impersonate high-ranking U.S. military officers and deceive victims into sending money.
Julie, who played a key role in reinforcing their fabricated claims, was sentenced to 25 months in prison.
A statement from the Department of Justice detailed how the couple tricked victims through social media and directed fraudulent payments via postal services, commercial carriers, and digital payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App.
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The couple also laundered money through cryptocurrency exchanges and sent funds to Nigeria via international wire transfers.
Julie, who worked at a hospital, allegedly accessed patients’ personal information, including Social Security numbers and driver’s licences, to aid their scheme.
At Edwin’s sentencing, U.S. District Judge Buescher described their crimes as “truly a tragedy for the victims.”