Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to $3 Million U.S. Romance Scam Targeting Elderly Victims

Written on 03/03/2025
ICE Gov

A Nigerian national, Darlington Akporugo, who entered the United States illegally, has pleaded guilty to multiple federal criminal charges for his role in operating a romance scam that defrauded more than $3 million from victims across the country, many of whom were elderly.

The guilty plea was entered on February 28, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, following a multi-year investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Akporugo, 47, admitted to being a key player in a long-running romance scheme based in Houston, working with accomplices to lure victims into fake online relationships, then convincing them to transfer money to bank accounts under his control.

Victims spanned from Chicago to Kentucky, with Akporugo and his network orchestrating elaborate schemes to exploit their emotions and finances.

His guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and aiding and abetting wire fraud underscores the growing crackdown on transnational fraud rings targeting vulnerable Americans.



To further the fraud, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake names to contact victims on social media, gain their confidence and then persuade them to invest in non-existent businesses or provide funds for invented personal circumstances.

As part of his plea, Akporugo admitted to approaching potential victims, primarily on social media sites such as Facebook, and then directing them to send money to either his or his associates’ bank accounts. That money was often then directed overseas.

In addition to collecting cash and wire transfers, Akpourgo also admitted to having victims open lines of credit in his name and, in one case, purchasing a luxury vehicle for his personal use.

During the investigation, authorities were able to identify more than 25 victims of the scheme, the majority were either retired or of advanced age.

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