Dailymail UK has revealed how a romance scam in 2016 between a Japanese woman and a Nigerian who described himself as a U.S. Army Captain stationed in Syria, led the FBI to the record crackdown on 80 Nigerian scammers, published documents revealed. The Nigerian gave himself the name Captain Terry Garcia.

According to the report made known by Dailymail UK, after 10 months, the interactions blossomed into romance for the woman – listed as ‘F.K’ in documents – but the cyber courtship ended up with her being $200,000 poorer and on the verge of bankruptcy after borrowing money from family members and friends to meet the demands of ‘Capt. Garcia’.

Garcia had told FK of a plan he had to smuggle diamonds out of Syria and he needed her financial backing.

Shortly after, another man who claimed to work for a shipping company asked FK for money to ensure the package was not inspected at customs, the complaint alleges. Requests for additional money kept coming, with the fraudsters citing different reasons each time on why the package was stuck at customs.

In reality, there were no diamonds and Cpt. Garcia didn’t exist. The whole charade came as part of an elaborate scheme hatched by the international ring of thieves.

The FBI’s probe first began in 2016 with one bank account and this single victim. It spiralled out from there, encompassing hundreds of victims, some of whom, like FK, lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

‘F.K. was and is extremely depressed and angry about these losses,’ the federal complaint states. ‘She began crying when discussing the way that these losses have affected her.’

Her relationship with ‘Garcia’ first began in March 2016, but soon after her digital pen pal began making ‘romantic overtures’

He told her they couldn’t talk by phone because he wasn’t allowed to use one while on military duty in the Middle-East.

FK made around 35 to 40 payments to Garcia to support the Syria diamond sham, receiving as many as 10 to 15 emails a day requesting her to send money to bank accounts in the US, Turkey and the UK.

The woman was even threatened with arrest by the fraudsters if she failed to meet their payment demands.

At one stage, FK traveled to Los Angeles because a Russian bank manager had embezzled $33,000 of her money.

Each of the 80 defendants named in the indictment is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to launder money and aggravated identity theft. Several also face additional fraud and money laundering charges.

According to the criminal complaint, the schemes used by the believed syndicate included online romances, fake business emails and targeting of the elderly to steal at least $6 million, with attempts to take an additional $40 million from victims in the US and across the globe.

‘Those fraud schemes have evolved and become much more sophisticated. Nigerian fraud networks now target individuals and businesses alike,’ said U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna.

‘The romance scams prey on vulnerable populations, but the BEC (Business Email Compromised fraud) victims are often reputable companies and conscientious employees who have been fooled by sophisticated cyber frauds into transferring money,’ Paul Delacourt, the FBI Assistant Director in Charge, added.

helinues:
Nigeria scammers are less than 5% of scammers and hackers in Usa only.

I am not justifying crimes oo, but Nigeria can't near Vietnam, Kosovo, South Korea in cyber crimes not to talk of the western countries

See the way they are making scamming look like as if Nigeria is the headquarters

Paxie55:
Let us hear word. This nonsense will be stretched till next year!

The case of wadume taraba fulani kidnapper that the soldiers killed police men to release has been closed.

helinues:
Nigeria scammers are less than 5% of scammers and hackers in Usa only.

I am not justifying crimes oo, but Nigeria can't near Vietnam, Kosovo, South Korea in cyber crimes not to talk of the western countries

See the way they are making scamming looks like as if Nigeria is the headquarters

FarahAideed:


Shut up Nigeria is the Headquarters of scam !! Even the current president is yahoo president who brazenly scammed his way to a second term

fiizznation:
There is absolutely nothing smart about defrauding people of their 'hard earned' resources.
Is just a betrayal of trust, laziness and nothing more. And the main problem of some Nigerians in abroad is this stupid mindset of making money the 'easy and quick way'. You can make money the 'easy way' but is just have to be legitimate money and not through fraudulent acts. I remember when one stupid Nigerian fella met me in Chicago some years back, dude was practically asking me to connect him to were 'big and quick money' is made. You have no formal education, no skill, no nothing whatsoever and you want to make quick money. I just pushed him off because associating with people like that will only land you into trouble.

There are many Nigerians who are genuinely making names for themselves and breaking grounds, they are hardworking, honest, very intelligent and game changers. And to be frank, the constitute the majority Nigerians in US, but the very few bad Nigerians are giving the Nigerians/Nigeria bad name. Why sell your entire properties just to travel to Europe/America and become a criminal? Doesn't make any sense.

And with this inconsiderate trump in power, we should be rest assured that he will want to start punishing every hardworking Nigerian in the US just because of the sins of very few.

FarahAideed:


Shut up Nigeria is the Headquarters of scam !! Even the current president is yahoo president who brazenly scammed his way to a second term

joseph1832:
if you truly believe what you wrote, answer this question, was PMB the only president or politician who scammed their way into office?

MyGeneration:

u are wasting your time bro.

just by the way he referred to PMB, u should know by now that he is an ipob, there's nothing you would say in this world that will convince him.

alphaNomega:


To be honest 3 months ago you would have classified Invictus among the bolded. It does not change the fact that we have honest Nigerians.

Livefreeordieha:
in Europe the headquarter is Bulgaria, Russia, Poland and Romania... Then Asia.. Hummm no one contests with VIETNAM! Before china and Philippines..

SpecialAdviser:
FBI should also extend this investigation to Nigerian politician stealing our money into Europe and America.

I hate crime but the hate the conspiracy in America and European neo colonialism the more. Billions of our dollars are in Europe, America and UAE courtesy of our useless politicians.

Do any of you know what computer virus and anti virus is all about? It is a legalized internet fraud that have stolen billions from Africa. The same anti virus producers makes the virus. Once u have it, you will be forced to buy the anti virus.

Recently they came up with crypto currency and stole billions of our money. We bought btc and the price fell. Who fall am?

I am in Cameroon at present and you really need to hear Cameroonian lamentations on how Paul is sending their money to France.

Enough said.

SpecialAdviser:
FBI should also extend this investigation to Nigerian politician stealing our money into Europe and America.

I hate crime but the hate the conspiracy in America and European neo colonialism the more. Billions of our dollars are in Europe, America and UAE courtesy of our useless politicians.

Do any of you know what computer virus and anti virus is all about? It is a legalized internet fraud that have stolen billions from Africa. The same anti virus producers makes the virus. Once u have it, you will be forced to buy the anti virus.

Recently they came up with crypto currency and stole billions of our money. We bought btc and the price fell. Who fall am?

I am in Cameroon at present and you really need to hear Cameroonian lamentations on how Paul is sending their money to France.

Enough said.

franchasng:
I wish they can stop issuing visa (student visas included) to any Nigerian that is a family member of a past or present Nigerian politician so they can stay in Nigeria and begin to do right to fix Nigeria.


But unfortunately the western nations are selfish and wicked too, they don't want to do anything that will help Nigeria or black African nations develop, but they should continue, with time, Nigeria and Africa will become an unstoppable global problem that will consume and destroy the whole world with the unimaginable and unstoppable crimes and atrocities that will be coming out from Africa due to total leadership collapse.


Nigerians need to start a massive campaign abroad for all western nations in Europe, America, Canada, Australia to stop issuing student and tourist visas to family members of Nigerian politicians because that's the root of all the crimes coming out from Nigeria