A man who admitted to being part of an online "romance scam" has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.
Frederick Orji, age 38, entered a plea of "guilty" to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Prosecutors say Orji was part of a ring with ties to Nigeria that set up profiles on popular dating sites in order to target elderly victims. He was arrested in Dallas in the fall of 2021.
Prosecutors say the group would set up profiles on those sites, lure victims into online relationships, then trick them into sending money by making claims about some type of hardship or emergency.
When the scammers had taken their victims for thousands of dollars, prosecutors say, they would cut off contact.
Frederick Orji's brother, Emanuel Orji, has also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He will be sentenced in January of 2023.
Five other defendants in the case are scheduled to go to trial in March of 2023.
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