Ghanaian man sentenced to prison for multi-million dollar fraud

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A Ghanaian man will spend more than five years in prison after being found guilty of defrauding elderly victims of millions of dollars.

Wigbert Bandie, 34, was sentenced Tuesday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The department said Bandie was part of a management plan.

The scheme involved establishing romantic relationships and friendships with victims online and then asking for immediate money.

“Once the victim is clearly involved in the scam, the scammer will begin asking for emergency financial assistance or direct victims to non-existent investment opportunities,” the Justice Department said. “If the victim sends money, the scammer will ask for increasingly larger amounts of financial assistance.”

According to the Department of Justice, 11 people fell for the scam, and one person in East Tennessee sent more than $280,000.

In total, Bandie stole $2.18 million, the Department of Justice said. After his sentence, he will be required to repay that money and serve three years of probation.

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