A Grand Prairie man who ran an elaborate scam to drain the bank accounts of elderly victims has been sentenced to prison.
Prosecutors say it was a multi-million dollar international scheme that at its core was a sweetheart scam.
Four Nigerian nationals have been convicted. Their leader, Ifeanyichukwu Festus Obi of Grand Prairie, has been sentenced to 20-years in prison for engaging in organized criminal activity and theft.
The gang was called the "Yahoo boys" and criminal investigators say they convinced lonely, elderly victims to send money to a FedEx office in Grand Prairie and a drop box in Arlington.
It was brought to the attention of a Colleyville police detective who was on a federal task force and they found the group had been collecting and laundering millions of dollars and sending the money overseas.
During a two-month period in 2019 prosecutors say Obi sent over $1.3 million in stolen money to Nigeria.
The three other suspect involved in the crime ring were operating from other areas of North Texas including Haslet, Fort Worth and Arlington. Those suspects have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
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