A 45-year-old Nigerian, Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, has been indicted in the United States for his alleged role in a romance scam and business email fraud scheme that reportedly defrauded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of more than $300,000.
The indictment was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and published by the Department of Justice.
According to the statement, Udugba, who resides in Frisco, Texas, was charged by a federal grand jury with money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud.
U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller said the indictment alleges that Udugba and his co-conspirators operated overlapping romance scam and business email compromise (BEC) schemes.
Investigators alleged that the suspects used social media platforms and dating websites to establish fake romantic relationships with victims across several U.S. states. The victims were allegedly manipulated into acting as money mules by receiving and cashing fraudulently obtained checks.
According to prosecutors, members of the conspiracy sent emails from spoofed addresses originating in Nigeria while posing as representatives of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The fraudulent emails instructed that FWS grant funds be used to pay fake invoices, falsely claiming the money mules were contractors and consultants who had carried out work on grant-funded projects.
Authorities said the scheme resulted in the FWS grant administrator issuing payments exceeding $300,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice said the prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, which targets transnational criminal organizations, foreign gangs, human trafficking networks, and other organized criminal groups.
If convicted, Udugba faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Any sentence will be determined by the court after considering the applicable federal sentencing laws and guidelines.
