An indictment was filed today charging Adebowale Ayodeji Owoaje, 30, of Ipaja, Nigeria, with wire fraud in a scheme to defraud individuals who were selling items on Craigslist.com, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

According to the indictment, Owoaje would contact sellers thru Craigslist, agree to a price for their sale item and would have an unnamed co-conspirator (Co-Conspirator #1) send the seller a counterfeit check in excess of the agreed-upon price. Owoaje would then tell the seller the check was made out for the wrong amount, instruct the seller to deposit the check and wire back, via Western Union, a portion of the excess back to his “secretary” (who was, in reality, Co-Conspirator #1). The co-conspirator would keep a cut and wire the rest to Owoaje. It is alleged that Owoaje’s scheme resulted in the receipt and transfer of over $100,000 in stolen proceeds from sellers on Craigslist.

If convicted of all charges, Owoaje faces a potential advisory sentencing guideline range of 33 to 57 months in prison, a three year period of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million, and a $400 special assessment.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

 

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