Onwumere, Anagor, and Abdalkareem sentenced for a deadly US romance scam that wiped out a retiree’s life savings in a sextortion plot
Chinagorom Onwumere, Stephen Anagor, and Salma Abdalkareem were sentenced to prison in December 2025 for their involvement in a US romance scam that led to the death of a retired American teacher, court documents show.
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The victim, identified as Victim 1 in filings from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, lost over $80,000—his entire life savings—between February and October 2023.
The scam escalated into sextortion, leaving the retiree in extreme emotional distress.
Onwumere and Anagor, both Nigerians residing in the US, received 16-year sentences. Abdalkareem, a Sudanese national, was sentenced to four years and three months.
The trio operated an international fraud network, with Onwumere and Abdalkareem acting as money mules to transfer victims’ funds to accomplices in Nigeria through Salmasam LLC.
Court records show the fraud began with a fake online romance. The conspirators impersonated a well-known female actress to gain the victim’s trust.
When the victim sent intimate photos, they used them to demand escalating payments, impersonating senior US law enforcement and judicial officials to threaten him with prosecution and public exposure.
Under pressure, the retiree sent two cashier’s cheques totalling more than $80,000. The threats persisted, and the victim later died by suicide.
Prosecutors said the same network defrauded at least eight Americans of nearly $400,000.
The court ordered restitution of $388,500 and the forfeiture of assets linked to the crimes.
Abdalkareem’s defence claimed a minor role, but the court found she knowingly handled fraud proceeds and facilitated the laundering of funds, rejecting requests for leniency.
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Authorities are continuing investigations to identify other accomplices abroad, warning that online romance scams remain a growing international threat.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
