CANTON – A federal grand jury has indicted a Canton man on one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud in what prosecutors say was a series of romance scams that netted $1.3 million.
Mark Arome Okuo, 41, a Nigerian national, has been in jail since he was first arrested in March. Okuo was initially charged along with Florence Mwende Musau, 36, a Kenyan national who lives in Canton.
Musau was indicted before Okuo and, in June, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.
Federal prosecutors said in court documents they will ask for a four- to five-year sentence for Musau. Musau faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and must forfeit $349,375. She is set to be sentenced Jan. 19.
March 28, 2021:Four Canton residents charged roles in romance, unemployment scams netting $4 million
Investigators said in charging documents that the pair deposited $1.3 million in proceeds from scams dating back to 2018 into bank accounts under real and fake names, including $195,000 obtained through five romance scams.
Okuo’s indictment lists three victims. The first, a woman from Illinois, met an unnamed co-conspirator online in 2018. The co-conspirator told the woman he was serving in the military and wanted to retire and live with her, but he needed money to buy his early retirement.
Okuo used a fake Nigerian passport to open an account where at least $35,000 was deposited, and Musau withdrew the cash from the account, federal prosecutors say.
Sept. 2, 2021:Feds say Milton man helped scammers send profits overseas by shipping used cars
Prosecutors and investigators said in court filings that the second victim, a woman from Georgia, sent at least $4,700 to an account Okuo opened under the pretense that the scammer was stranded in Kuwait after retiring from the oil industry. The scammer wanted to marry her and move in with her.
June 22, 2021:Canton woman Florence Musau pleads to role in romance scams that netted $1.3 million
A third victim, in Ohio, sent scammers at least $6,500, which Okuo withdrew from the bank, prosecutors said in the indictment.
Okuo faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
See our past coverage of these related cases
July 27, 2021:Two Canton men indicted, charged with romance scams
Sept. 2, 2021:Feds say Milton man helped scammers send profits overseas by shipping used cars
June 22, 2021:Canton woman Florence Musau pleads to role in romance scams that netted $1.3 million
March 28, 2021:Four Canton residents charged roles in romance, unemployment scams netting $4 million
Feb. 28, 2021:Romance scam: Former Randolph man arrested in $1.7 million fraud
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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@patriotledger.com.
