Scammers sentenced to prison for targeting widows in romance scheme

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Two scammers who targeted widows online and stole nearly $10 million have been sentenced to more than three decades in prison by a federal judge.

Kenneth Akpieyi and Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall used aliases including a four-star general, Syrian delegate, petroleum engineer and oil rig worker to scam 31 victims out of nearly $10 million, according to court records.

Federal agents first learned about the criminal activity a few years ago when a Mandeville woman told them she had lost more than $100,000 to a man on social media with whom she had developed a romantic relationship. The woman was 77 years old…

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