Three individuals sentenced for roles in a massive romance scam that resulted in over $3.5M lost and an Illinois woman’s tragic death.
One of the individuals involved was a postal worker named Jennifer Gosha, an Iraq war vet. She told CBS she regrets her involvement, saying she was tricked by her boyfriend.
For her part in the fraud, which started in Chicago, she received three years probation with the first six months under house arrest, restricting her movement.
Another victim was Laura Kowal, 57, a widow from Galena, Illinois, and a retired health executive. CBS News investigated her death.
Laura fell for a man on Match.com who called himself Frank Borg. The relationship began as an online romance, but then he started asking for money. Initially, she sent money willingly, but later she seemed forced, sending almost $2 million to “Frank” over two years.
“Frank” wasn’t real; he was a group of West African scammers. They used stolen photos and created a fake profile. They drained Laura’s savings and told her to open fake accounts to move money.
The scam used “money mules” to hide the transactions. Laura initially sent $75,000, which was received by the Chicago-based individuals, including Gosha. Police records confirm this.
Two of the individuals involved were Nigerian nationals: Samuel Aniukwu and Anthony Ibekie. They were sentenced in November after undercover agents recorded their fraud activity, which caused $750,000 in victim losses.
Aniukwu pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in July 2023. He cooperated with the prosecutors and received a ten-year prison sentence.
Ibekie pleaded not guilty to 14 counts, including wire fraud and forgery. He went to trial last September, was found guilty on all counts, and received a 20-year prison sentence.
A juror spoke to CBS News and said victim statements moved them a lot. Four people shared their pain, including a retired dentist with early dementia.
The juror noted that Ibekie cried a little, but it seemed related to the overwhelming evidence against him.
Kelly Gowe, Laura Kowal’s daughter, spoke at the sentencing. She talked about her mom and expressed her anger at the criminals for causing her mother’s death.
Kelly stated that her mom is missing out on so much now and that her family will never get that time back.
Gosha claimed she dated Ibekie, believing he was a doctor. She maintained that she, too, was a scam victim and became a money mule.
The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the crime and the damage to the victims. However, he recognized that Gosha was less culpable. Her lawyer confirmed this to CBS News.
The lawyer said that she was honest before, and Ibekie exploited her good qualities and manipulated her. Jennifer regrets helping him.
Gosha felt trapped when arrested. She questioned why she possessed nothing if she was involved, asking, “Why am I left here?”
