A Union Omaha soccer player has been accused in a series of internet romance scams.Abdul Osumanu, a 24-year-old player, is charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and receipt of stolen money. A judge in Charleston handed down an indictment that charges Osumanu and eight other men for their involvement in illegal schemes alleged to have defrauded at least 200 victims of at least $2.5 million.Officials said many of the victims were elderly. “According to the indictments, from 2016 to 2020, the defendants allegedly participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them,” a news release states. “The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. The defendants created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that the defendants were U.S. residents working abroad.”Officials say defendants at first requested relatively small gifts, such as gift cards and cellphones from their victims but began to ask for increasingly larger sums of money from their victims.”The reality is that this caused serious financial difficulty many times for people who are already on a fixed income or retired,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Crystal Correa during Osumanu’s federal court appearance Tuesday.According to the indictment, prosecutors believe Osumanu and another man named Banabas Ganidekam pretended to be a woman who had inherited $7.5 million in gold bars from her father. Under the fake name “Amida Ibrahim,” the indictment says the men claimed “Amida” needed help paying $750,000 in taxes to the government in Ghana.”The victim was induced to send several payments specifically to the defendant in the defendant’s own name,” Correa said.In another case, prosecutors think the men used the name “Jack London,” then targeted a widow on an online dating website about an investment opportunity.”The victim was induced to believe that ‘Jack’ had an investment opportunity and needed $46,000 dollars in order to make that investment opportunity happen,” said the attorney.During the court appearance, Osumanu’s attorney said her client has not had any problems prior to these accusations.”He’s not a danger in any sense of violence. He does not have a record. This is not a crime of violence,” said Karen Shanahan.Union Omaha posted a statement to Twitter reading, “Last Thursday afternoon, Union Omaha became aware of a pending legal action involving one of our players. We are currently gathering information and are fully cooperating with the authorities. No further comment will be made at this time.”The general manager told KETV Newswatch 7 that the soccer club removed Osumanu from all team activities for the time being.He’s set to appear in court on Tuesday in West Virginia. That’s where investigators say the alleged fraud and money laundering took place.“Crimes involving romance scams and other online scams are increasing at an alarming rate. This case is a reminder that users of email, texts and social media should be aware of such scams and exercise extreme caution,” said acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.
A Union Omaha soccer player has been accused in a series of internet romance scams.
Abdul Osumanu, a 24-year-old player, is charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and receipt of stolen money.
A judge in Charleston handed down an indictment that charges Osumanu and eight other men for their involvement in illegal schemes alleged to have defrauded at least 200 victims of at least $2.5 million.
Officials said many of the victims were elderly.
“According to the indictments, from 2016 to 2020, the defendants allegedly participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them,” a news release states. “The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. The defendants created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that the defendants were U.S. residents working abroad.”
Officials say defendants at first requested relatively small gifts, such as gift cards and cellphones from their victims but began to ask for increasingly larger sums of money from their victims.
“The reality is that this caused serious financial difficulty many times for people who are already on a fixed income or retired,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Crystal Correa during Osumanu’s federal court appearance Tuesday.
According to the indictment, prosecutors believe Osumanu and another man named Banabas Ganidekam pretended to be a woman who had inherited $7.5 million in gold bars from her father.
Under the fake name “Amida Ibrahim,” the indictment says the men claimed “Amida” needed help paying $750,000 in taxes to the government in Ghana.
“The victim was induced to send several payments specifically to the defendant in the defendant’s own name,” Correa said.
In another case, prosecutors think the men used the name “Jack London,” then targeted a widow on an online dating website about an investment opportunity.
“The victim was induced to believe that ‘Jack’ had an investment opportunity and needed $46,000 dollars in order to make that investment opportunity happen,” said the attorney.
During the court appearance, Osumanu’s attorney said her client has not had any problems prior to these accusations.
“He’s not a danger in any sense of violence. He does not have a record. This is not a crime of violence,” said Karen Shanahan.
Union Omaha posted a statement to Twitter reading, “Last Thursday afternoon, Union Omaha became aware of a pending legal action involving one of our players. We are currently gathering information and are fully cooperating with the authorities. No further comment will be made at this time.”
The general manager told KETV Newswatch 7 that the soccer club removed Osumanu from all team activities for the time being.
He’s set to appear in court on Tuesday in West Virginia. That’s where investigators say the alleged fraud and money laundering took place.
“Crimes involving romance scams and other online scams are increasing at an alarming rate. This case is a reminder that users of email, texts and social media should be aware of such scams and exercise extreme caution,” said acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.
