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A Chief U.S. District Judge, Richard E. Myers II, has sentenced a Nigerian man, Saheed Sunday Owolabi, to 15 years in prison for his role in defrauding victims in the United States and laundering over $1.5 million.
A jury convicted Owolabi of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentence in a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
“Who hasn’t encountered some form of the ‘Nigerian Prince’ scheme? Owolabi, no prince, stole from our vulnerable citizens. This case shows that if you try to defraud the citizens of the Eastern District of North Carolina, our office will bring you to justice, no matter where you are. Cheaters never win,” Boyle said.
“This conviction underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling international fraud and money laundering networks targeting victims across the United States,” said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office. “The defendant’s role in coordinating complex, cyber-enabled schemes demonstrates both the sophistication and global reach of these criminal enterprises. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue anyone who targets the U.S. to commit fraud and ensure they are brought to justice in our courts.”
Owolabi carried out a romance scam in which he pretended to be a woman to build online relationships with men in the United States. He and his co-conspirators used these fake relationships to trick victims into sending money and personal information.
They also used bank accounts provided by victims to launder funds from other fraudulent operations. Authorities said Owolabi stole more than $120,000 from a victim in the Eastern District of North Carolina, among many others.
In sentencing Owolabi, Chief Judge Myers found that he acted as a leader or organizer of an extensive criminal operation, engaged in sophisticated money laundering, and caused significant financial hardship to victims.
At the sentencing, prosecutors presented images recovered from Owolabi’s phone at the time of his arrest, which showed how he spent the stolen funds.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe is prosecuting it.
