Three Nigerian nationals, who were extradited from
South Africa to the Southern District of Mississippi in July 2015, were
sentenced to prison this week for their roles in a large-scale international
fraud network.
Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30, was sentenced to 95 years
in prison. Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31, was sentenced to 115 years in prison. Femi
Alexander Mewase, 45, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. After a three-week
trial in early 2017, a federal jury found each defendant guilty of offenses
involving mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, credit card fraud and theft
of government property. Ayelotan and Raheem were also found guilty of
conspiracies to commit bank fraud and money laundering.
A total of 21 defendants were charged in this case, 12
of whom have pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy, and 11 of
whom have been sentenced to date. One of the leaders of the conspiracy, Teslim
Olarewaju Kiriji, 30, of Nigeria was previously sentenced to 20 years in
prison. Six other defendants were previously sentenced to 10 years in prison
each for their roles in this conspiracy: Adekunle Adefila, 41, of Nigeria;
Anuoluwapo Segun Adegbemigun, 40, of Nigeria; Gabriel Oludare Adeniran, 30, of
Nigeria; Olufemi Obaro Omoraka, 27, of Nigeria; Taofeeq Olamilekan Oyelade, 32,
of Nigeria; and Olusegun Seyi Shonekan, 34, of Nigeria. Genoveva Farfan, 45, of
California, was sentenced to 9 years in prison, and Rhulane Fionah Hlungwane,
26, of South Africa, to five years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
Olutoyin Ogunlade, 41, of New York, was sentenced to four years in prison.
Dennis Brian Ladden, 75, of Wisconsin was sentenced to time served and six
months’ home confinement. Susan Anne Villeneuve, 61, of California, pleaded
guilty earlier this month and is awaiting sentencing.
According to the plea agreements and evidence at
trial, the defendants and their co-conspirators carried out numerous
internet-based fraud schemes dating back at least to 2001. These schemes
involved using unsuspecting victims to cash counterfeit checks and money
orders, using stolen credit card numbers to purchase electronics and other
merchandise and using stolen personal identification information to take over
victims’ bank accounts. As a whole, the conspiracy involved tens of millions of
dollars in intended losses.
To accomplish their fraud schemes, the conspirators
recruited the assistance of U.S. citizens via “romance scams,” in which the
perpetrator would typically use a false identity on a dating website to
establish a romantic relationship with an unsuspecting victim. According to
trial evidence and plea documents, once the perpetrator gained the victim’s
trust and affection, the perpetrator would convince the victim to either send
money or to help carry out fraud schemes. For example, the defendants admitted
that they used romance victims to launder money via Western Union and
MoneyGram, to re-package and re-ship fraudulently obtained merchandise and to
cash counterfeit checks.
If you believe that you may have been a victim of
criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, please go to http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scams
and complete the questionnaire. Defendants allegedly used the following email
addresses and names to perpetuate the scheme:
Stacy Adams
Marlon Chase
Regina Darwin
Folly Edwards
Kimberly Faye
Lorene M. Garrett
Mark Gentile
John Gervino
Dickson Jones
Anita Lauren
Samuel Maxwell
Mark Miller
Adeline Piper
Sarah Powell
Karen Robinson
Glenn Sattelberg
Kevin Smith
Mark Smith
Richard Wasser
Justin Worsham
Any information that you provide through the
questionnaire may be helpful in the criminal investigation and prosecution of
this case. A federal investigator may contact you with additional questions or
to request documents you may have. Please note that submitting the
questionnaire is not a substitute for consulting with your own attorney to
determine what actions and remedies may be available to you through civil
litigation. If you have any questions related to this matter that are not
addressed at the above websites, you may contact federal law enforcement
authorities at USAMSS.Scams@usdoj.gov.
