GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Kalamazoo resident is one of four people federally charged in an international conspiracy to steal more than $2 million from unsuspecting victims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Michigan (DOJ) says the following suspects were indicted by a federal grand jury:
- 37-year-old Fatai Okunola from Kalamazoo
- 33-year-old Oluwaseyi Adeola from Dallas, Texas
- 35-year-old Ijeoma Adeola from Dallas, Texas
- 32-year-old Cory McDougal from Romeoville, Illinois
We’re told the suspects conspired with others in Nigeria to steal money from U.S. citizens, many of whom were vulnerable and/or elderly. They allegedly did so by adopting false identities on the internet and forming relationships with victims online or through other methods of communication.
Federal attorneys say they later requested money, instructing victims to wire payments to bank accounts created in West Michigan. In some cases, they were told to send money to P.O. boxes, shell businesses or via peer-to-peer transfer services (e.g. PayPal, Zelle, etc.).
The DOJ says the conspirators obtained more than $2 million from 2017 to 2022.
“These fraud schemes can financially devastate victims, especially the elderly and other vulnerable people,” says U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Some of the victims in this case lost their retirement savings, took loans against their homes, or suffered other financial distress because of the defendants’ alleged lies. My office will vigorously investigate these cases to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Okunola and Oluwaseyi Adeola face other charges for trying to become U.S. citizens, the DOJ adds.
Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (Grand Rapids) and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety are credited for their assistance in the case.
