Man Sentenced to Prison for Scamming Elderly

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A Nigerian man will call a prison his home for the next 20 years after he was convicted of 15 counts related to his role in a scam to steal money from the elderly, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.

Joseph Dada Akintoye, 34, was convicted Wednesday of crimes including racketeering, money laundering, theft by taking, theft by deception, and exploitation of elder persons.

Akintoye was part of an organization which bilked elderly residents of at least three other states out of their money by posing as grandchildren in need of bail money, a person needing help to close an international financial deal, and other ruses. Once the money was wired to a bank account held by a Marietta woman, Akintoye would direct her on how to launder the money to Nigeria or Malaysia, the DA’s Office said.

“There is evil in this world that is apparent to all, such as a murder. But there is another kind of evil that lurks in the shadows and remains hidden. It preys on our most vulnerable citizens, taking advantage of their loneliness and their embarrassment at being taken,” said ADA Jason Marbutt, who prosecuted the case and specializes in crimes against the elderly. “This is not just about the theft of money. It’s about the tip of the iceberg he represents.”

Judge Adele Grubbs agreed with Marbutt’s sentiments, and sentenced Akintoye to 20 years, with 3 years’ early release if he can pay $35,000 in restitution within a year.