Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, a 45-year-old Nigerian living in Texas, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy.Prosecutors allege he orchestrated a romance scam and business email fraud targeting a US government agency, defrauding it of over $300,000.

The scheme involved fake romantic relationships on social media platforms, where victims were manipulated into becoming 'money mules' to cash fraudulent cheques.

Authorities claim Udugba and co-conspirators used spoofed emails pretending to represent the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to trick the agency into approving payments for fabricated invoices.If convicted, Udugba could face up to 30 years in prison, followed by supervised release and financial penalties.

The case highlights the growing threat of cybercrime and fraud involving international scams, with victims unknowingly aiding criminal activities through their personal finances.