UNITED STATES NEWS

Texas man involved in online romance scams gets 3 years

Apr 25, 2023, 1:35 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Texas man was sentenced on Tuesday to more than three years in prison for his role in an online romance scam in which the identities and images of real U.S. military generals were used to cheat victims from across the nation out of a total of $1.5 million, federal prosecutors said.

In addition to three years and a month behind bars, Fola Alabi, 52, of Richmond, Texas, was also sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to three years of probation, ordered to pay full restitution and forfeit his home valued at $560,000, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.

The victims were often women in their 70s and 80s and either widowed or divorced, according to court documents.

In one case, a widow from Rhode Island was contacted by a member of the conspiracy claiming to be a “General Miller,” who convinced the woman to hand over $60,000 to help pay for the shipment of his personal belongings to the U.S., prosecutors said.

A check from the victim was made payable to a company created by Alabi and mailed to Alabi’s home, authorities said.

The victim almost sent another check to the fake general, but her bank and local police intervened.

Other victims sent money, usually in the form of bank checks or cash, to addresses and companies that were controlled by Alabi, prosecutors said. The money was deposited in bank accounts he also controlled and then quickly withdrawn or transferred.

The funds were often wired overseas to China and India and some were used to pay Alabi’s mortgage, prosecutors said.

Other victims were based in Tennessee, North Carolina, California, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Texas, Idaho and South Dakota, authorities said.

Alabi pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy and money laundering.

Two real generals in victim impact statements told the court that they continue to be victimized by online romance scams, authorities said.

Last month, a Massachusetts man was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison for helping to steal millions of dollars from hundreds of people in online romance scams.

United States News

Associated Press

GOP businessman Sandy Pensler joins crowded field of Senate candidates in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Detroit-area businessman Sandy Pensler launched his second campaign for U.S. Senate on Friday, joining close to a dozen other Republican candidates in Michigan who are hoping to flip the open seat for the first time in over two decades. Pensler lost the GOP primary for Senate in 2018 by over 9 […]

12 minutes ago

George Santos is surrounded by journalists as he leaves the U.S. Capitol after his fellow members o...

Associated Press

House expels New York Rep. George Santos. It’s just the sixth expulsion in the chamber’s history

The House voted on Friday to expel Republican Rep. George Santos of New York after a critical ethics report on his conduct.

23 minutes ago

FILE - Rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Frank Rocco Giustino, who skippe...

Associated Press

Lawsuits against Trump over Jan. 6 riot can move forward, appeals court says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawsuits against Donald Trump brought by Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the U.S. Capitol riot, can move forward, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Trump’s request to dismiss the civil lawsuits that accuse him of inciting the violent […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, has died at age 93

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, an unwavering voice of moderate conservatism and the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, died Friday. She was 93. O’Connor died in Phoenix, of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness, the Supreme Court said in a news release. Chief […]

2 hours ago

Palestinians inspect damage in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on Dec. 1, 2023. Israeli fighter jets hit targets ...

Associated Press

Warplanes hit targets in Gaza as Israel resumes its offensive and warns of attacks to come in south

Israeli fighter jets hit targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after a weeklong truce with Hamas expired on Friday.

2 hours ago

Andrea Campbell, Attorney General of Massachusetts, answers a question during an interview at the S...

Associated Press

AP Exclusive: America’s Black attorneys general discuss race, politics and the justice system

BOSTON (AP) — The American legal system is facing a crisis of trust in communities around the country, with people of all races and across the political spectrum. For many, recent protests against police brutality called attention to longstanding discrepancies in the administration of justice. For others, criticism of perceived conflicts of interest in the […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

...

Dierdre Woodruff

Interest rates may have peaked. Should you buy a CD, high-yield savings account, or a fixed annuity?

Interest rates are the highest they’ve been in decades, and it looks like the Fed has paused hikes. This may be the best time to lock in rates for long-term, low-risk financial products like fixed annuities.

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

Texas man involved in online romance scams gets 3 years