A Georgia man has been found guilty on charges related to conducting a multi-million dollar romance scam, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Kenneth G. Akpieyi, 44, of Marietta, Georgia, also known under the alias “Phillip Anderson,” faced conviction after a jury trial overseen by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. The verdict came following a presentation of evidence that indicted Akpieyi on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and mail fraud, as detailed from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
During the course of the trial, it was revealed that Akpieyi played a significant role in the complex scheme that targeted women by posing as potential romantic partners such as generals and entrepreneurs, often on Facebook or Instagram but then moving the conversation to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp. Victims were persuaded with stories of charitable work or family emergencies and were defrauded into sending money for these fraudulent causes, the trial included testimonies from eight victims who detailed their personal losses which accumulated to more than $3 million, and although acting as a romantic interest, Akpieyi would receive funds at his residence and shrewdly transfer the money using his company, KGA Autobrokers, LLC, between various bank accounts to disguise the fraudulent cash flow.
The funds Akpieyi handled were often shunted to foreign accounts in places like China and the United Arab Emirates. This was highlighted by the prosecution, pointing to one instance where he deposited two checks totaling $300,000 from a single victim into two separate banks on the same day; both checks were made out to his company. Sentencing for Akpieyi is scheduled for November 5, 2025, with the defendant potentially facing up to 20 years in prison for each mail fraud count and the conspiracy charges, including substantial fines and supervised release following imprisonment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana…