According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Akporugo operated from Houston, Texas, collaborating with accomplices to lure victims from Chicago to Kentucky into deceptive online relationships. Once trust was established, they convinced victims to transfer money into accounts under Akporugo’s control.

A Multi-State Romance Scam with Over 25 Victims

ICE investigations revealed that more than 25 victims fell prey to this fraudulent scheme, with most being elderly retirees or recently widowed individuals. Akporugo, who is also an illegal immigrant in the U.S., pleaded guilty to:

✔ Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud

✔ Wire fraud, aiding, and abetting

Law Enforcement’s Swift Action

ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge, Chad Plantz, condemned the scam, stating:

"This individual and his co-conspirators preyed on the vulnerability of the elderly and recently widowed to defraud them of their hard-earned life savings. Thanks to the victims who bravely reported the crime and our strong partnerships with law enforcement, we were able to expose this reprehensible scheme and hold those involved accountable."