Michigan federal prosecutors seeking victims of internet fraud scheme linked to Nigeria
(CBS DETROIT) - Federal prosecutors are seeking any victims in connection with an internet fraud scheme that operated in West Michigan and across the country.
This comes after four people are facing charges related to schemes that went on between 2017 and 2022 and defrauded more than $2 million from people, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
An indictment charged Fatai Okunola, 37, of Kalamazoo, Oluwaseyi and Ijeoma Adeola, 33 and 35, both from Dallas, Texas, and Cory McDougal, 32, of Romeoville, Illinois with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Okunola and Oluwaseyi Adeola were also charged in connection with their naturalization or attempt to naturalize as U.S. citizens.
The suspects allegedly worked with individuals in Nigeria to create fake personas online and form relationships with the victims.
Their schemes included offering to buy or sell goods, apartment rentals, offer to make loans or provide grant funding. They also used phones to connect with the victims, utilizing voice-over-internet protocol numbers to make the calls appear as if they were within the United States.
The suspects convinced victims to send money through mail, bank-to-bank transfers, or through transfer services such as Zelle and PayPal. The money was then put in several bank accounts in western Michigan and other locations, with some sent overseas to accounts in Nigeria.