Foreign National Sentenced for Laundering Proceeds of Scams Targeting Elderly U.S. Citizens
GoLocalProv News Team
Foreign National Sentenced for Laundering Proceeds of Scams Targeting Elderly U.S. Citizens
Dotun Olawale Alonge, 47, of Providence, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
He pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, to a charge of money laundering conspiracy.
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About Scams
Elderly individuals in several states, including Rhode Island, were befriended by scammers feigning romantic intentions through online social media platforms and dating sites. Scammers then used the relationships and trust they built to convince victims to provide them with money to assist with business ventures or personal debt.
Other victims were falsely told they had won a sweepstakes, but that upfront cash payments were required to release the funds to the winner; yet other victims were scammed by paying rent to individuals who purported to own property they in fact did not own or control.
“Foreign nationals who believe that Rhode Island seniors are easy prey for fraud schemes should think again,” said Cunha. “Preying on the emotions of vulnerable victims to gain access to their hard-earned savings is as despicable as it is devastating, and we and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to make sure that those responsible face justice.”
About Case
According to charging documents and information presented to the court, victims were instructed by scammers in Nigeria to wire cash to bank accounts or to mail payments in the form of cash or money orders to various mailing addresses in Rhode Island controlled by the defendant.
To conceal the source and location of the funds, members of the conspiracy moved the money through multiple banks and businesses in Rhode Island, Idaho, and elsewhere. The majority of the proceeds were eventually sent on to Nigeria. Members of the conspiracy also used some of the money to purchase vehicles that were shipped to Nigeria.
Olabode Shaba, 36, formerly of North Providence; Dotun Olawale Oladipupu Shodipo, 44, of Providence; Samson Ikotun, 36, formerly of East Providence; and Oluwaseyi Akintola, 38, formerly of Moscow, Idaho, were previously convicted and sentenced to terms of incarceration in federal prison that range between time served (dating back to their arrest and detention) to 42 months.
Each defendant has been ordered to pay approximately $455,750 in restitution joint and several with each other to individuals identified by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to be victims of the scams and who have requested repayment of their losses. Several of the defendants are facing deportation proceedings after completion of their terms of incarceration.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a sixth defendant, Adetunji Abudu, 38, who is a fugitive from justice.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. McAdams and Denise M. Barton. The matter was investigated by the FBI.