Nigerian Pleads Guilty To Romance Fraud, Money Laundering In UK

A 40-year-old Nigerian man in England, Osagie Aigbonohan has been charged to court for romance fraud and money laundering.

Aigbonohan further pled guilty to the charges.

According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), he used a number of false names to contact women through dating and social media sites. He cheated one woman out of nearly £10,000. 

Investigators said he used the alias Tony Eden when he spoke to the besotted victim last year for 10 months via a dating site. Aigbonohan persuaded the woman to lend him money so that he could buy equipment and machinery for his overseas business. 

The victim made nine transfers to accounts that were under false names, according to the NCA. Eventually, the cash made its way into a personal account of Aigbonohan’s, used for everyday spending.  

Phone data showed he received money from at least eight other victims and spoke to over 670 people. 

The agency said one of the women targeted was terminally ill but the con artist pursued her, even when she had died.   

Officers arrested Aigbonohan in July 2021 and discovered he had a false driver’s license and no legal right to be in the UK.

He had overstayed a visa from two years ago. The fraudster lived in Abbey Wood, London but had spent the cash of his many victims across London, Manchester and Glasgow.  

When officers searched his house, they found shoes that were bought with store vouchers which could be linked back to one of the victims.  

Aigbonohan appeared before Southwark Crown Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to charges related to fraud and money laundering. 

His sentencing will be at the same court on January 14 2022 and he will be in custody until then.  

Dominic Mugan, NCA operations manager, said: ‘Romance fraud is a particularly cruel crime that impacts victims both emotionally and financially, with victims often feeling like they’re the ones to blame.

‘Aigbonohan showed total disregard for the victims in this case and was happy to commit further fraud by moving money between various fraudulently held accounts.

‘It’s possible that he contacted more people than we know about. If you think you may have been a victim or may be a victim in a similar case, we would urge you to report the details to Action Fraud.’

Credit: Daily Mail

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