A Ghanaian national, Wigbert Bandie, has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison in Tennessee, USA, for his involvement in a $2 million international wire fraud scheme.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan in the Eastern District of Tennessee.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bandie was ordered to pay $2.18 million in restitution to 11 victims and will serve three years of supervised release after his incarceration.
Bandie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 and 1343.
Court documents revealed that Bandie was part of a larger network that targeted elderly victims in the U.S. through a sophisticated online romance scam.
The fraudsters, using fake identities on social media, dating sites, and other online platforms, formed relationships with victims and manipulated them into sending money for fake emergencies and investment opportunities.
Victims, some of whom lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, were coerced into sending money via wire transfers, checks, and mail. One victim in Tennessee was defrauded of over $280,000.
The scheme also involved “money mules” who transferred the stolen funds overseas, making it more difficult for authorities to trace the money.
The FBI, led by Special Agent Matthew R. Short, conducted the investigation, with U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III and FBI Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico announcing the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne H. Sullivan prosecuted the case.
Romance scams, which often target the elderly, have become a widespread form of online fraud, causing millions of dollars in losses each year.
Authorities have urged the public to be cautious when forming online relationships, especially when money is involved.
