NEW ORLEANS: A 44-year-old man from Marietta, Georgia, has been convicted in a multi-million-dollar online romance scam that defrauded women across the globe. Kenneth G. Akpieyi, who went by the alias “Phillip Anderson,” was found guilty on all charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and mail fraud, following a four-day federal jury trial in New Orleans.
Victims Manipulated Through Fake Identities and Emotional Traps
According to court documents, Akpieyi was part of an international fraud network that targeted mostly women through platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Scammers pretended to be high-ranking military officers, global businessmen, or philanthropists living overseas. After building emotional rapport, they shifted the conversation to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp.
From there, victims were persuaded to send money under false pretences, ranging from medical emergencies to charity work and family crises. The FBI confirmed that all such claims were fabricated to exploit trust and urgency.
Eight victims testified, describing how they were manipulated into transferring large sums of money. The total fraud exceeded ₹25 crore ($3 million), prosecutors said.
Fraud Funds Routed Through U.S. and Overseas Accounts
Akpieyi played a crucial financial role. Using the fake identity “Phillip Anderson,” he operated from his home in Marietta and processed victims’ payments through his business, KGA Autobrokers, LLC. He opened multiple bank accounts to move the money, making it difficult to trace. On one occasion, he deposited two separate checks, each worth₹1.25 crore ($150,000), from the same victim into different banks on the same day.
Investigators traced parts of the laundered funds to bank accounts in China and the United Arab Emirates. The FBI New Orleans Field Office led the investigation, with assistance from the FBI Atlanta Field Office and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
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Akpieyi will be sentenced on November 5 by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud and conspiracy, and an additional 20 years for the money laundering charge. Financial penalties range from ₹2.08 crore ($250,000) to ₹4.16 crore ($500,000).
The FBI advises the public to remain cautious when interacting with strangers online and never to send money to someone they haven’t met in person.