Eight years prison for Sacramento man in $2 million Nigerian bank scam (One down,lots to go)

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 3/11/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A Sacramento man of Nigerian descent was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison Friday for running an international investment scam that defrauded investors of more than $2.1 million through a Nigerian advance fee scheme.

Roland Adams, 38, admitted that he conspired with others in Nigeria, South Africa and Canada to run the scheme. Potential investors were mailed letters supposedly from African government officials who wanted help in diverting millions of dollars held in bogus trusts or accounts.

In exchange for a future share of the fictitious money, the victims were persuaded to send in fees of several thousand to several hundred thousand dollars to individuals or accounts around the world.

Adams, who owned Adams Business Services, gave the scheme an illusion of legitimacy by setting up Web sites such as Afribankcorp.com, Bancofafrica.com and Bancofeasterncarribean.com where victims could track the false transactions.

He pleaded guilty in August 2003 to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiring to launder money, and was sentenced to 97 months in prison.

He also was ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution to victims, a portion of which will be paid from the forfeiture of his Elk Grove home and $87,000 in various bank accounts.

He was separately convicted in April on charges of making false statements during his naturalization interview, and sentenced to an identical prison term to be served at the same time. As a result, he was stripped of his U.S. citizenship Friday and will be deported back to Nigeria after he completes his prison sentence.

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On the Net:

Read about advance fee frauds at http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml

[dangus]

Next e-mail I'll receive:

Deer sur,

Thank you four reeding this verry importint lettir. My hunsbind has jus bin impriznd by his govurnmint. We have 1.2 million dollar we need to get out of the country...

[AntiGuv]

Oh, wow! He sent me personal updates all the time - several times a day. I hope his persecuted uncle is gonna be alright..

[csvset]

Nigerian Scam ping.

[NormsRevenge]

Roland Adams

A little background re: scams and some of those busted in 2002

Nigeria - 419 Coalition 2002 News on Nigerian Scam/419 Operations

[Disambiguator]

Here's a fun site that deals with the Nigerian scam: http://www.scamorama.com/

[Iowa Granny]

Well this is going to sadden our Freeper Friend (Low Bridge ???) who plays these guys like a flute.

There is JUSTICE, but sometimes it takes awhile.

[cyborg]

I don't get it. Scammers, hackers and all the rest are very intelligent people. Why do they resort to this stuff?

[NormsRevenge]

I hear ya.. I'm thinking of starting a relief fund up for the uncle. sniffle

Just send your donations to Mo-eke-wa MumBobu-eka-oy at the Old Nigerian Scammers Home in Up-Crik-No-Paddle, Darkest AFRika

I think John Ashcroft should get credit for these busts, btw. :-)

[sagar]

They are smart, but they are too lazy to earn it through legitimate means.

[GATOR NAVY]

I guess because there are so many idiots out there willing to believe there's such a thing as easy money.

[NormsRevenge]

I guess because there are so many idiots out there willing to believe there's such a thing as easy money.


Howard Dean must have some Nigerian ancestry or a lot more luck than most scammers. ;-)

[Salamander]

The worst one I've seen is supposedly a dying Christian woman who wants the recipient/victim help her make sure her "vast fortune" is distributed to charitable causes.
The bank transfer MO is the same except the entire email is full of "praise Jesus" and prayers.

It's just horrible.

[speed_addiction]

I guess because there are so many idiots out there willing to believe there's such a thing as easy money.

There are also many idiots out there convinced that there was actually MASSIVE ELECTION FRAUD and sent money to people who were to expose it.

[freedomfiter2]

You mean everyone in Nigeria doesn't have millions of dollars that they want to share with me?

[arasina]

Party Poopers Ping! :o)

[SandRat]

Couldn't they make it a year for every $ he defrauded?

[bigsigh]

Uh..2.1 million

[queenkathy]

I guess this means I'm not getting any money from that email i answered. Just kidding. I have fwded many like that to the feds. hope I helped catch the losers!