Men sentenced in romance, inheritance scams that cost victims $3.5 million

Two suburban men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in fleecing at least $3.5 million from people through romance and business fraud schemes.

Anthony Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison. He had been found guilty in a jury trial this year on all 14 charges — counts of 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 earlier this month to 10 years in prison.

A third person, Jennifer Gosha, 52, of Oak Park, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 18. She pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent in relation to the schemes.

The trio built trust with victims through social media and online dating websites, including Match.com and OKCupid, and convinced 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, they told victims that the victims had received significant inheritances, but to claim it, they needed to send money to people associated with Ibekie and Aniukwu, prosecutors said.

In a third scheme, they compromised corporate email accounts and tried soliciting wire transfers, prosecutors said.

A search of Aniukwu's home uncovered several digital devices, including one with bogus letters from Standard Charter Financial Group asking for money, prosecutors said.