A Nigerian man, Darlington Akporugo, and his wife, Jasmin Sood, have been sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar romance and elder fraud scheme in the United States. The couple ran a $3.1 million fraud operation from 2015 to 2022, using fake identities and social media profiles to lure elderly victims into fake romantic relationships.
Akporugo posed as a romantic partner, convincing victims to invest in nonexistent businesses or help with fabricated emergencies. Meanwhile, Sood created fake companies and bank accounts under aliases to launder the money. The victims, mostly women, including widows, were manipulated into sending large sums of money, buying luxury items, and even renting homes and vehicles for the couple.
Darlington Akporugo was sentenced to 188 months (15 years, 8 months) in federal prison, while his wife Jasmin Sood was sentenced to 121 months (just over 10 years). Both must pay $3,123,073 in restitution and serve 3 years of supervised release after prison. The court described the scheme as “heartless and far-reaching”
The couple was arrested while driving a victim’s car and living in her rented mansion. They will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
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