A Nigerian man, Darlington Akporugo, 46, will not be walking down the aisle with his lover Jasmin Sood, 35, after they were arrested for defrauding elderly people in the United States of over $3 million through online romance scams.
The pair were supposed to get married on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Houston, Texas, US, before their arrest.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, Akporugo and Sood allegedly conspired for over seven years, targeting widowed victims on social media and dating platforms.
A statement by the USAO in April read, “A Nigerian man who resided in Fulshear is set to appear in court on allegations he conspired to defraud over a dozen elder Americans who thought they were in romantic online relationships and sent millions to a network of fraudsters, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
“Darlington Akporugo, 46, is scheduled for a detention hearing at 9 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison. Akporugo allegedly conspired with Jasmin Sood, 35, also of Fulshear, to commit wire and mail fraud.”
They reportedly committed the acts between 2015 and 2022, during which they built trust with victims and convinced them to send money to various accounts.
It claimed that they defrauded no fewer than 13 victims of $3,123,073, and a notice of forfeiture has been issued for all unlawfully acquired proceeds stemming from the scam.
