HOUSTON, Texas. – Fola Alabia Richmond, Texas, resident, pleaded guilty to defrauding dozens of senior women for $1.6 million in the United States, according to the Rhode Island prosecutor’s office.
Folayemi Alabi, as he is also known, was part of a group of friends who came together to commit the scams on residents of at least 11 states: Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina, California, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Texas, Idaho and South Dakota.
The way they operated was that they contacted the victims over the Internet and They posed as members of the Army. who were abroad.
They were usually a four-star General who would go so far as to convince elderly women to send him cash or checks.
The conversation between the scammer and the victim became romantic at some point, the prosecution said in a statement.
When the women sent the money to Alabi, he would deposit it or have someone do it for him in one of several accounts he controlled, authorities say.
Then he would withdraw that money or transfer it to other accounts.
A widow sent Alabi $60,000
One of those women who fell for the scam was a rhode island widowwho came to give him $60,000 to finance the transfer of his belongings to the United States.
The check bore the name of Full Circle Import Exportsa company created by Alabi, and mailed to his address in Texas.
Even the woman was regarding to send $240,000 to the man who was named “General Miller”, but the bank and the Westerly (Rhode Island) police alerted her that she might be the victim of a scam.
Alabi was arrested in May 2022 and a cell phone was seized from him where he had photos and videos of large sums of money that had been sent by the victims.
The total amount defrauded was $1,640,421. Alabi agreed with the court to surrender his residence in Texas and an account containing $31,773.22.
After pleading guilty, a judge will decide the sentence that will fall to Alabi on April 25.
Don’t be a victim of a scam
Specialists recommend that people who are regarding to buy something, such as a house, not trust emails or calls from supposed workers to transfer money to them.
Always verify the account to which you will be sending the transfer, although it is always better to do it with a check in person.
The Houston Association of Realtors recommends consulting with a professional if you plan to look for a place to rent.
“It is a free service for the consumer, it costs nothing to have an agent to guide you and, more importantly, to protect you,” says Daniela Sombra, a member of the HAR board of directors.
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Remember that you can make your report anonymously by calling 713-222-8477 or by visiting the Crime Stoppers of Houston website.