U.S. Charges 6 Nigerians, Ghanaian Soccer Star, Osumanu For Romance Scams

Six Nigerians, one American and two Ghanaians, including a soccer player Abdul Osumanu have been indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston, West Veiginia, for romance $c@ms.

Kenneth Emeni, 29, a citizen of Nigeria, residing in Martinsburg, West Veiginia; John Nassy, 27, a citizen of Nigeria, residing in a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Kenneth Ogudu, also known as Kenneth Lee, 28, a citizen of Nigeria, residing in Columbus, Ohio; Oluwagbenga Harrison, 30, a citizen of Nigeria, residing in Stone Mountain, Georgia; Romello Thorpe, 25, a United States citizen, residing in Washington, D.C.; Ouluwabamishe Awolesi, also known as Oluwabamise Johnson, 28, a citizen of Nigeria and the United States, residing in Beltsville, Maryland; Augustine Amechi, 24, a citizen of Nigeria, residing in Huntington, West Veiginia; Banabas Ganidekam, 24, a citizen of Ghana, residing in Westerville, Ohio; and Abdul Osumanu, 26, a citizen of Ghana, residing in Omaha, Nebraska.

The nine defendants are charged with various fraud-related crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and receipt of stolen property.

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All nine of the defendants have been apprehended in operations executed by the United States Secret Service and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in seven states.

According to the indictments, from 2016 to 2020, the defendants allegedly participated in a series of romance and other online $c@ms designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them.

The indictments describe romance $c@ms as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms.