Nigerian National Sentenced In Online Dating Scheme

ATLANTA, GA — The first of several Nigerian nationals charged with a multi-year wire fraud scheme has been sentenced, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Olu Victor Alonge, 35, of Newnan, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to an online dating website scheme. Douglas, Gwinnett and Fulton county men were also charged.

The total amount of money schemed, U.S. Attorney Byung Pak said in the release, was $1,835,279. Alonge, alongside six other Nigerian nationals, was accused in the scheme. Three others have pleaded guilty.

"The conspirators in these cases, including some who were overseas, used fake personas on online dating websites to trick individuals, including elderly retirees, into giving them large amounts of money," Pak said.

Pak said the conspirators spent weeks building online relationships with victims before taking hundreds of thousands of dollars, often from retirement savings or inheritances.

According to the release, Pak said Alonge and the others created fake online dating profiles using photos of men and women that were sometimes public figures like government officials or models and targeted the elderly.

"These conspirators often targeted vulnerable individuals who possessed financial assets and in some cases spent months cultivating romantic relationships with them through online messaging, text messaging, and voice calls," the release says.

The conspirators then made up "elaborate false stories" in attempts to get the victims to send them money. The stories sometimes involved a need for money to complete business deals abroad or to make it back to the United States.

Once the conspirators got the money, they quickly withdrew funds and dispersed them to other accounts.

There were a total of eight victims, the release says, who lost $610,319, $418,697, $388,900, $260,000 and $148,800, respectively.

The defendants, listed below, were charged with 60 total counts of wire fraud, money laundering, identify theft and the use of false passports.

• Olu Victor Alonge, a/k/a Serge Damessi, a/k/a Didier Baraze, a/k/a Mobo Marcus Adeh, a/k/a Ayo Baraze, a/k/a Nicolas Soglo, 35, of Newnan, Georgia, who was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr., on October 30, 2019, to 10 years of imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,835,279.00 in victim restitution.
• Ugochukwu Lazarus Onebunne, a/k/a Policap Tizhe, a/k/a Saheed Ademoha, 41, of Douglasville, Georgia
• Olajide Olalekan Adara, a/k/a Kelvin Mensah, 33, of Loganville, Georgia
• Joshua Adedeji Ipoade, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia
• Oladunni Temitope Oladipupo, 24, of Lynn, Massachusetts
• Two other defendants are fugitives and their identities remain sealed

Onebunne and Adara have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Ipoade and Oladipupo are awaiting trial dates.

Alonge, Onebunne, Ipoade and Adara will face immigration removal proceedings after the completion of their criminal cases if convicted, the release says.