A Nigerian national, Adedunmola Gbadegesin, has been sentenced to five-year imprisonment for money laundering conspiracy in the United States.
Gbadegesin, who was arrested in Nigeria in September 2021, had also been charged with wire fraud over his involvement in an international romance scheme. The charge was, however, dropped in a plea deal.
The romance scheme cost a Lexington woman approximately $200,000, the Kentucky Herald-Leader reported.
The Nigerian pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy in September, the report added, citing court documents.
Before his sentencing, Gbadegesin was said to have admitted his guilt in court, claiming he got involved in the scheme to feed his family but was apologetic for his actions.
His lawyer asked for a 36-month prison sentence while the prosecution recommended 63 months.
But U.S. District Judge, Karen Caldwell, sentenced Adedunmola Gbadegesin to a five-year jail term and also directed he forfeited the sum of $38,000 recovered from him.
Gbadegesin was part of a “romance scheme” that would set up fake online profiles on dating websites and then lure their victims, mainly older women, into thinking they were in a relationship and milk them for money.
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