Nigerian socialite Darlington Akporugo has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with a $3 million romance scam that targeted elderly victims across the United States.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced that the 47-year-old was arrested just a month before his wedding and has admitted to orchestrating a long-running scheme that defrauded victims from Chicago to Kentucky.
Working with accomplices, Akporugo used social media to establish fake online relationships, gaining victims’ trust before manipulating them into transferring money. He and his co-conspirators employed false identities to persuade victims to invest in fictitious businesses or provide financial assistance for fabricated emergencies.
As part of his plea deal, Akporugo confessed to directing victims—many of whom were retired or elderly—to send funds to his accounts or those of his associates. In some cases, he convinced victims to open lines of credit in his name or even purchase luxury vehicles for his personal use.
Authorities identified over 25 victims during a multi-year investigation, with total losses exceeding $3 million.
“As we unfortunately have seen, victims of romance scams suffer tremendous financial loss, sometimes amounting to their entire life savings,” said Ganjei. “Many are too embarrassed to come forward, but we encourage them to report these crimes to help prevent future victimization.”
Akporugo is set to be sentenced on June 6 by U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He remains in custody pending the hearing.
