Superseding Indictment Charges Three Georgia Residents in Million-Dollar Romance Scam

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on April 17, 2024, a superseding indictment  charged  KENNETH G. AKPIEYI (“AKPIEYI”), age 43, of Marietta, Georgia, Emuobosan EMMANUELLA Hall (“HALL”), age 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Eseoghene Nelly Keniye (“Keniye”), age 27, also of Atlanta, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343, and 1349; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) and 1956(h). AKPIEYI was also charged in one count of mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 2.

According to the indictment, the defendants perpetrated a “romance scam,” in which they  persuaded victims to send them money by representing themselves to be potential romantic partners for those victims. The defendants used bank accounts in the name of fictitious aliases and various companies in furtherance of the scheme. Investigators have determined that AKPIEYI, HALL, and KENIYE defrauded victims out of over $1 million. 

The  penalties for mail fraud and for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud are up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000.00 fine or the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss, and up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment.  The  penalties for conspiracy to commit money laundering are up to 10 years in prison, up to a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions, and up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Each defendant also faces payment  of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count of the superseding indictment charged against them.