CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A husband and wife have pleaded guilty to running an online love scam operation that took millions of dollars from their victims.
Federal prosecutors say 35-year-old Martins Inalegwu, formerly of Maple Shade, pleaded guilty in Camden on Tuesday to federal charges of tax and running an illegal money transfer business.
They say Inalegwu and his wife, 27-year-old Steincy Mathieu, led a massive fraud scheme, preying upon desperate and lonely people looking for love online. Mathieu pleaded guilty last November. A third defendant, Oluwaseyi Fatolu, entered a guilty plea in January.
Investigators say the couple had associates in Nigeria who made connections with victims on dating apps and social media. Before long, the victims sent money to people they never met but were convinced they needed to help, and sent money for various fake emergencies.
In all, more than 100 victims throughout the country sent the suspects at least $4.5 million through wire transfers into multiple bank accounts in Nigeria and Turkey. Authorities say the three defendants spent the money on personal expenses while transferring some of the cash into other accounts.
“Martins Inalegwu and his co-conspirators face serious justice for stealing hard-earned money from more than 100 victims who were unaware their relationship was part of a financial fraud or romance scam,” said Homeland Security Investigations Newark acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.
“As always, we urge the public to remain cautious when communicating online, know the tips to recognize a scam and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
Inalegwu faces up to 25 years in federal prison for one count of unlawful money transmitting and four counts of tax evasion. Mathieu faces up to 10 years for two counts of tax evasion, while Fatolu could get up to 5 years behind bars for one money transmitting count.