Men convicted over romance and inheritance fraud costing victims $3.5 million

Two suburban men were sentenced to federal prison for fleecing people out of at least $3.5 million. romance and business scam schemes.

Anthony Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday. He was found guilty of all 14 charges at a jury trial this year: wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank and passport fraud.

Samuel Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this month.

A third person, Jennifer Gosha, 52, of Oak Park, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 18. Gosha pleaded guilty earlier this year to making fraudulent wire transfers and making false statements to a federal agent about the plans.

The trio gained the victims’ trust through social media and online dating sites, including Match.com and OKCupid, and persuaded them to send money to a predetermined recipient, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

In another scheme, victims received significant inheritances but had to send money to people linked to Ibekie and Aniukwu to claim it, prosecutors said.

In a third scheme, they tried to hijack corporate email accounts and request wire transfers, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said a search of Aniukwu’s home uncovered several digital devices, including a device containing fake letters requesting money from Standard Charter Financial Group.