Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to victims for laundering the illicit proceeds of an elaborate series of romance scams.
Frimpong pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering on September 14, 2023.
“Romance scammers exploit our most vulnerable citizens, even our seniors and military veterans, sometimes leaving them financially and emotionally devastated,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.
“The fact that an Army service member was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling. We are partnering with the Department of Defence to drum out fraudsters and money launderers like Frimpong from our military ranks and put them in prison where they belong.”
“Integrity is a core tenet of the armed forces and when service members choose to compromise their integrity for greed, it tarnishes the reputation of all others serving in uniform,” stated Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
“DCIS and its law enforcement partners will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those accountable who cheat government programs and use online scams to prey on the most vulnerable.”
Frimpong and other conspirators, engaged in elaborate scams, impersonating romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other fictitious personas for the purpose of ensnaring their victims by earning their confidence, including promises of romance, sharing of an inheritance or other riches, or other scenarios intended to fraudulently induce the victims to provide money or property to the conspirators.
Frimpong then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of these frauds through his various bank accounts across state lines and through his contacts in Ghana.
Frimpong was also an active-duty Army service member stationed at Fort Bragg during the commission of the offences up until shortly after his arrest in 2023.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III announced the sentence.
Defence Criminal Investigative Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka prosecuted the case.
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