Internet Dating Scammers Sentenced In Federal Court

CHICAGO, IL — Two men convicted of luring people into fake romantic relationship and scamming them out of millions of dollars were sentenced in federal court last week, according to the Department of Justice. Chicago resident, Adeyina Awoloja, 35, was sentenced to three years of probation including two years of home confinement and ordered to pay more than $145,000 in restitution for conspiracy to commit money launderinng arising from the online dating scheme.

Awoloja formerly lived in Maryland, as did seven other people convicted in connection with the same conspiracy. Olusola Olla, 50, was also sentenced last week. He was given a four year prison sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. Prosecutors say Awolaja and the others were members of a conspiracy to search online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with "vulnerable male and female individuals," according to a Justice Department statement.

The culprits phoned, emailed, texted and used internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived in Maryland and around the country. Witnesses testified that members of the conspiracy used fake stories and promises to convince victims to give them money.

The victims said the suspects convinced them to give them money for fake hospital bills, plane trips to visit the victims and problems with overseas businesses.

Related: 4 Scammers Convicted of Luring Victims into Fake Romantic Relationships

Olla and co-conspirators opened bank accounts, called “drop accounts,” to receive millions of dollars from victims, with payments ranging from $1,720 to $50,000.

"Olla, Awolaja and the co-conspirators dispersed money received from the victims by transferring funds to other accounts they controlled, by obtaining cashier’s checks, and by writing checks to individuals or entities, all done to conceal the nature, source, and control of those assets," the statement from the Justice Department reads.

A federal jury convicted the following defendants on Nov. 18 for conspiracies to commit wire fraud and money laundering: 58-year-old Gbenga Benson Ogundele of Laurel, Md.; 42-year-old Victor Oyewumi Oloyede of Laurel; 34-year-old Babtunde Emmanuel Popoola of Bowie, Md.; and 42-year-old Mojisola Tinuola Popoola of Laurel.

Patch Editor Cameron Luttrell contributed

_{Top photo via Patch file}