Houston Man and Nigerian Socialite Pleads Guilty to $3 Million Romance Scam Targeting Elderly Victims

A 47-year-old Houston man and Nigerian socialite, Darlington Akporugo, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded victims across the U.S., many of whom were elderly, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced.

Akporugo, who was arrested just a month before his wedding, admitted to being a key figure in a long-running fraud scheme that spanned multiple states, from Chicago to Kentucky. He and his co-conspirators used fake identities to lure victims through social media, gain their trust, and persuade them to send money for fabricated business investments or personal emergencies.

As part of the scheme, Akporugo directed victims to transfer funds to his or his associates’ bank accounts, with much of the money being funneled overseas. He also convinced victims to open lines of credit in his name and, in one instance, purchase a luxury vehicle for his personal use.

Authorities uncovered more than 25 victims, the majority of whom were retired or elderly, with total losses exceeding $3 million.

“As we unfortunately have seen, victims of romance scams suffer tremendous financial loss, sometimes amounting to their entire life savings,” said U.S. Attorney Ganjei. “Many victims are too embarrassed to report the crime, but we urge them to come forward to help prevent others from being defrauded.”

Akporugo is set to be sentenced on June 6 by U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody until sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.