Crime

57-Year-Old Nigerian Pleads Guilty to $12 Million Fraud Scheme in the US

Oluseun Martins Omole, also known as “Seun Omole,” pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a US court. The scheme involved defrauding consumers of consumer electronics worth over $12 million.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 21, 2024

Stella Charles Akupue

57-Year-Old Nigerian Pleads Guilty to $12 Million Fraud Scheme in the US

Oluseun Martins Omole, also known as “Seun Omole,” has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the United States. Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the announcement.

Omole’s guilty plea stems from his involvement in a widespread scheme to defraud thousands of victims in the US and other countries of consumer electronics and other goods valued at over $12 million. From February 2018 to March 2023, Omole admitted to participating in various scams orchestrated by a criminal enterprise based in Nigeria known as the “Enterprise.”

The scams perpetrated by the Enterprise members included romance scams, online marketplace scams, and employment scams, collectively referred to as the “Fraudulent Electronics Scams.” These scams involved feigning romantic intentions, false representations in online marketplaces, and fake job postings to induce victims into sending consumer electronics and money to Omole.

During this period, Omole operated a business corporation named Tobylink Impessions, Inc., which claimed to be a distributor of satellite communications equipment. However, Tobylink served as a front for receiving fraudulently obtained goods from victims before repackaging and shipping them to co-conspirators in Nigeria. Omole facilitated the transfer of more than $12 million of goods in exchange for fees charged to other enterprise members.

Omole, 57, of Sugar Land, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Omole has agreed to pay restitution and forfeit seized assets as part of his plea agreement.

Omole’s sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

Williams commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their assistance with the investigation.

The Office’s General Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang leading the prosecution.

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