CINCINNATI — An Ohio man learned his punishment for laundering more than $2 million from a romance fraud conspiracy.
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Richard Opoku Agyemang, 41, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in federal court to 41 months in prison on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio.
The federal judge also ordered Agyemang to pay nearly $1.4 million in restitution to the victims.
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The scheme involved dozens of victims who were defrauded through online dating websites over several years.
The conspiracy targeted older adults and recently bereaved individuals searching for relationships on dating websites.
The scammers used stolen photographs and false information to create fake profiles and build romantic connections with victims.
These victims were then tricked into sending money under the pretense of supporting their partners with medical expenses or other needs, the spokesperson said.
The financial impact on victims was severe.
Many individuals reported selling their homes and vehicles to provide funds for the scammers.
Others cashed in life insurance policies, emptied 401k accounts, and exhausted their credit card limits to cover the requested payments.
While many of the perpetrators live out of the country, Agyemang operated within the United States.
This allowed him to open American bank accounts to receive the proceeds of the fraud, the spokesperson said.
He then moved the money to other accounts in the United States and foreign countries, keeping a portion of the funds for himself.
According to court documents, victims sent more than $2 million through wire transfers and check deposits into accounts controlled by Agyemang.
In a separate instance, Agyemang targeted the Small Business Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was sentenced for fraudulently obtaining approximately $21,000 in pandemic relief funds through the Small Business Administration, the spokesperson said.
Agyemang was federally charged in April 2024 and pleaded guilty in September 2025.
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