A Texas man who took older women in 10 states, including South Dakota, for $1.5-million dollars posing as a U-S Army general in an online romance scan has been sentenced to 3-years and one month in prison.
52-year-old Fola Alabi was also ordered to spend 3 years on supervised release, pay full restitution, and forfeit his home, valued at $560,000. He pled guilty in January to conspiracy and money laundering charges.
In the scam, generally targeted at widowed or divorced women in their 70s and 80s, Alabi would use the identities and images of real generals. Victims would send money, usually checks or cash, to addresses and companies controlled by Alabi
The money was deposited in bank accounts he also controlled, then quickly withdrawn or transferred – often wired overseas to China and India. Some of the money was used to pay off his mortgage.
One Rhode Island widow contacted by a “General Miller” mailed a $60,000 check to Alabi’s home made out to a company created by Alabi to help the “general” ship his personal belongings back to the U-S from his overseas posting.
The woman wrote and was preparing to mail a second large check to the fake general, but her bank and local police intervened.
Two real generals told the judge in victim impact statements that they continue to be victimized by online romance scams that claim to be from them.
It is gratifying to see someone caught and restitution ordered. So many victims, so few convictions.