Union Omaha soccer player indicted in internet romance scams

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

Alia Conley

A player for the Union Omaha professional soccer team has been indicted on federal charges in connection with two internet romance scams that authorities say defrauded two people of more than $200,000.

Abdul Osumanu, a 24-year-old starting defender on the team, has been charged with two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and receipt of stolen money in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

He is accused of financially benefiting "by falsely cultivating relationships" using online or text message communications and convincing people to send money to him and another man involved in the scheme, authorities said.

SNIP: In a press release Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia announced the indictments of Osumanu and eight other men who are citizens of Nigeria, Ghana or the United States and currently live in various cities in the U.S. The crimes were similar in nature — online romance scams to persuade victims to send money — and totaled $2.5 million from 200 victims. But officials said the cases were not related.



Abdul Osumanu, who joined Union Omaha before its inaugural season last year, has been removed from all team activities but has not been released from the team. Osumanu is charged with two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and receipt of stolen money in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD

Read more: https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/union-omaha-soccer-player-indicted-in-internet-romance-scams/article_4a57efbc-c3bf-11eb-a16d-435a11e5c18b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

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As you can see this is not just a local story.

[Ace Rothstein]

1. Are these the ones that target older, widowed women?

My aunt almost got had by one of them and it took a lot of convincing that it was a scam.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Funny how photo caption doesn't state left/right; yet we're expected to know; racist assumptions?

[Lucky Luciano]

3. You think the guy on the left is likely to be a citizen of Ghana or Nigeria?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Of course I didn't. But I could be wrong, so I checked. Assumptions are the basis of racism

Media has (have) a responsibility to NOT make assumptions and to not pander to assumptions.

The assumption is that everyone will automatically "know" that the name determines who the person it is. That is the racist assumption.

That I think the guy named is the player on the right is different from the assumption because I know my guesses can be flawed so I LOOKED to verify, but the report did not say in that caption. However, in their defence, the article does have a portrait where they do identify him by name.

[Polybius]

9. It also is wrong to the poor innocent guy on the left

If I were him, I'd be pissed that there was no caption, and that I was in the pic at all.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Yes, if they were two white guys the writer would have tripped over in rush to ID them. . . nt

[IronLionZion]

7. The white blond fellow looks like an Abdul Osumanu for sure

[keithbvadu2]

4. What does your internet sweetie look like?

What does your internet sweetie look like?

They may be a doctor, or a hunk military man, or a supermodel woman/rich widow, or some rich businessman. But most assuredly they'll be overseas, somewhere out of range of a personal meeting. Charming of course. And most times you won't be able to video chat with them. You'll get a picture - someone's picture. Don't be surprised if they turn out to be a skinny Nigerian dude.

They called them clients, not victims.

These scammers are amazingly open about how they are scamming their clients. Are they convincing? They can be very convincing. One client was playing naked sex games with his 'girlfriend' who turns out to be a guy.

Their favorite clients??? Widowed/divorced....(lonely).

They have unlimited love for you. They only run out of love when you quit sending them money... as in; when you run out of money to send.

My favorite is the fetish priestess. She has character and personality.
(Not necessarily good character)

Start watching at about the 11 minute time mark.

[SunSeeker]

6. What reckless way to ruin your professional career.

I guess money meant more to him than the beautiful game.

[ToxMarz]

8. Looks like he's been doing this for a number of years before he joined Union Omaha

So I imagine they must have told him not to quit his day job.