A 37-year-old Nigerian national, Adetomiwa Seun Akindele, has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison in Minnesota for defrauding a widow out of $1.6 million in a romance scheme. Akindele posed as a wealthy Italian American businessman, “Frank Labato,” on a dating website, where he met the victim. He provided false details about his personal and work background, images, and photos to substantiate his fictitious persona.
Akindele convinced the victim to wire over $1.6 million to a cryptocurrency exchange account, claiming he needed the money for his business. He then converted the money into various cryptocurrencies, laundered it across multiple crypto exchanges, and deposited into his own bank accounts. Despite executing three fraudulent “promissory notes” to reassure the victim, Akindele had no intention of repaying her.
The court ordered Akindele to pay $1,692,945 in restitution and forfeiture, and upon serving his sentence, he will be deported to Nigeria. FBI Denver Special Agent in charge of romance scammers, emphasizing the importance of caution when engaging with people online, especially when asked for money.
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