PISCATAWAY, NJ — A New Jersey couple is facing numerous charges after authorities said they extorted more than $100,000 from a retired Tennessee teacher through a fake celebrity romance scam, leading the man to commit suicide.
Chinagorom Onwumere, 34, and Salma Abdalkareem, 27, both of Piscataway, were arrested last week and each charged with three counts of extortion, three counts of financial exploitation, two counts of theft, and two counts of criminal impersonation following the months-long scam, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by The Daily Beast, authorities became aware of the scam in October, two days after police were called to a Jonesborough, Tennesee, home and found the 74-year-old victim dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
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According to the complaint, the victim’s family found multiple emails dating back to August between him and a person claiming to be an unnamed celebrity. Authorities said the pair sent photos back and forth, and the victim was convinced he was in a romantic relationship with the celebrity.
According to court documents, the victim then began receiving emails from someone claiming to be with the FBI. The person told the victim the purported celebrity was suing him for sexually harassing her in their email exchanges, and that he would need to pay fines to resolve the matter out of court, court documents said.
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Washington County Sheriff Keith Sexton said the victim sent the suspects numerous gift cards and checks over several days. Authorities said the victim sent the suspects more than $100,000.
According to the criminal complaint, authorities identified Abdalkareem and Onwumere as the suspects after the victim wrote a check for $4,500 to a company registered in Onwumere’s name and sent it to the Piscataway home he and Abdalkareem shared, the complaint says.
The victim also wrote another check to the FBI and wrote “Agent Salma Abdalkareem” in the subject line, according to court documents. The suspects scolded him, authorities said, and told him he would have to pay a $40,000 fine for not following directions.
According to court documents, the victim went to his bank and obtained a $41,000 cashier’s check, payable to Onwumere, and sent it to an address in Takoma Park, Maryland. The following day, the victim was told to send another $25,000 cashier’s check to Abdalkareem in New Jersey. According to court documents, the victim went to his bank and took out a $25,000 loan against his car to pay the suspects.
Authorities in Tennessee subpoenaed bank records, which revealed the victim’s checks were deposited into bank accounts in Onwumere and Abdalkareem’s names, according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities said security video from an ATM in Colts Neck also showed the couple depositing one of the man’s checks into a checking account they shared.
Authorities later searched the couple’s home where they found an envelope from the victim, according to court documents. Authorities said during the search, the suspects admitted to receiving checks from the victim.
Abdalkareem and Onwumere waived extradition and were taken to the Washington County Detention Center in Tennessee. At their initial court appearance on Nov. 20, bond was set at $500,000 each, authorities said.
A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 30. Additional charges are pending.
While authorities did not name the victim, an obituary found by The Daily Beast described him as a “beloved former educator who enjoyed football, golf, and spending time with his grandchildren.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, there are resources to help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. Its website also offers numerous services, including a live chat.
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