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Man
Jailed for 8 Years in $2-M Nigerian Bank Scam
March 11, 2005 --
Sacramento - A
Californian man of Nigerian descent was sentenced to more
than eight years in U.S. federal prison Friday for running
an international investment scam that defrauded investors
of more than $2.1 million US through a Nigerian advance-fee
scheme.
Roland
Adams, 38, admitted he conspired with others in Nigeria, South
Africa and Canada to run the scheme. Potential investors
were mailed letters supposedly from African government officials
who wanted help in bogus trusts or accounts.
In
exchange for a future share of the fictitious money, the victims
were persuaded to send in fees of up to several hundred thousand
dollars to individuals or accounts around the world.
He
also was ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution
victims, a portion of which will be paid from the forfeiture
of his Elk Grove, Calif., home and $87,000 in various bank
accounts.
He
was separately convicted in April on charges of making false
statements during his naturalization interview and sentenced
to an identical prison term to be served at the same time.
As a result, he was stripped of his U.S. citizenship Friday
and will be deported back to Nigeria after he completes his
prison sentence.
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