A 47-year-old Nigerian man, Darlington Akporugo, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy related to a nationwide romance scam, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Akporugo played a key role in a complex scheme based in Houston, targeting victims from Chicago to Kentucky. He and his accomplices lured individuals into fraudulent online relationships, ultimately convincing them to transfer money into accounts under their control.
Authorities revealed that Akporugo, who is in the U.S. illegally, entered his guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He admitted to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, as well as aiding and abetting in an elaborate scheme that defrauded over 25 victims, most of whom were elderly or retired.
“This individual and his co-conspirators preyed on the vulnerability of the elderly and recently widowed to defraud them of their hard-earned life savings,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz.
“Thanks to the victims who bravely came forward to report this matter to law enforcement and the outstanding relationships that we have with our domestic and law enforcement partners abroad, we were able to expose this reprehensible scheme and hold the criminals involved in it accountable.”
Investigators disclosed that Akporugo, who was arrested just a month before his planned wedding, used fake identities to reach out to victims on social media. He built trust before manipulating them into sending money for fabricated business ventures or personal emergencies.
As part of his plea agreement, Akporugo admitted to using platforms like Facebook to solicit victims and instructing them to deposit funds into accounts controlled by him and his co-conspirators. Much of the stolen money was then funneled overseas.
Beyond wire transfers, Akporugo also convinced victims to open lines of credit in his name and, in at least one instance, purchase a luxury vehicle for his personal use.
Authorities estimate that the total losses from the scheme exceed $3 million.
“As we unfortunately have seen, victims of romance scams suffer tremendous financial loss, sometimes amounting to their entire life savings,” said Ganjei.
“Those who have fallen prey to such fraudsters are often too embarrassed to come forward and report the incident to law enforcement. Although this is an understandable reaction, we encourage victims to nonetheless come forward, as their story may help the future victimization of others.”
Akporugo is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge on June 6. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
He will remain in custody until his sentencing hearing.
In May 2024, Akporugo and his fiancée, Jasmin Sood, were arrested just days before their wedding in Houston, Texas. The couple was accused of running a seven-year scheme that targeted widowed victims through social media and dating platforms.
