Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Various Online Fraud Schemes

BOSTON – A Nigerian national residing in Boston pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021 to his role in online fraud schemes.

Macpherson Osemwegie, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 27, 2022. Osemwegie was charged on July 26, 2021.

Osemwegie conspired with others to participate in a series of romance and other online scams designed to defraud victims into sending money to accounts and debit cards that Osemwegie and others controlled. Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim.

To carry out the schemes, Osemwegie and his co-conspirators used false foreign passports in others’ names to open numerous bank accounts, and in turn directed the victims to send money to these accounts. 

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom and Ian Stearns of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.