2 Nigerian men charged in Singapore over role in transnational love scams
SINGAPORE — Two Nigerians who were allegedly involved in transnational internet love scams were charged in court on Tuesday (14 May), in the first such case to be prosecuted in Singapore.
Awolola Gbolahan Ayobami and Awolola Oladayo Opeyemi, aged 37 and 34 respectively, are accused of being part of an African love scam syndicate, which allegedly recruited two Singaporean women as money mules to receive criminal proceeds.
Opeyemi is accused of conspiring with a Suhaili Suparjo to receive about S$46,500 in criminal proceeds on 18 January last year. Ayobami faces a similar charge of abetting another to receive stolen property.
Between 2017 and 2018, the female money mules allegedly received at least S$85,700 from victims in Singapore, and laundered the money by handing the cash to syndicate members in Malaysia, according to the police.
In a joint operation with the Commercial Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police, Singapore authorities established the identities of the two men and arrested them in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 16 April 2019.
Both were brought to Singapore on Monday.
Last year, there were 660 reported cases of love scams where victims in Singapore were cheated of at least S$27.5 million.
Opeyemi and Ayobami are remanded in Singapore and will be back in court on 21 May.
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