A Nigerian man, Saheed Sunday Owolabi, 34, has been convicted by a federal jury in Wilmington, North Carolina, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The conviction stems from his involvement in several cyber fraud schemes targeting individuals in the United States.
According to information presented during the trial, Owolabi posed as a woman online to form relationships with men in the United States. This tactic is commonly known as a romance scam. He and others involved convinced victims to send money and share personal information. The group also used bank accounts provided by victims to launder proceeds from other fraudulent activities.
Owolabi participated in a scheme that stole and laundered more than $120,000 from one victim based in the Eastern District of North Carolina and defrauded hundreds of additional people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudsters accessed details about an upcoming home closing and sent spoofed emails instructing a victim to transfer funds into accounts controlled by the group. Once transferred, these funds were distributed under Owolabi’s direction, with portions sent directly to him.
Investigators discovered chat messages where Owolabi admitted operating a romance scam until he realized he was communicating with another scammer. That individual mocked Owolabi’s efforts and told him to “learn how to do a clean job.”
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle commented on the case: “Fraud schemes like this drain millions from hardworking people in our communities. We will continue to work with our federal partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who abuse the anonymity of the internet to enrich themselves by stealing from our citizens.”
Owolabi could face up to 40 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release when sentenced in January 2026.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the case.
