MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Western Tennessean was scammed out of over $400,000 by a group of Nigerians who have since been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in the conspiracy, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
Four Nigerians residing in the United States and Canada were sentenced for taking part in a conspiracy involving romance and investment scams against victims across the United States, including Western Tennessee.
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They were all convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a scheme that used fake identities and email accounts on Internet dating sites to trick people into wiring or mailing money to shell companies and fake agents.
A Federal Grand Jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted the four men in June 2023. Below is a list of those convicted.
- Patrick Edah , 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Toronto, Canada area,
- Efe Egbowawa , 41, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area,
- Igocha Mac-Okor , 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area, and
- Kay Ozegbe , 44, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Atlanta.