Bag man in romance scam gets 3 years for bilking RI widow, other women of $1.5 million
PROVIDENCE – A Texas man was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison Tuesday for his role in a romance scam that stole $1.5 million from at least 35 women, including a widow in Rhode Island.
Folayemi "Fola" Alabi, 52, of Richmond, Texas, had pleaded guilty to receiving money from women who thought they were helping out a U.S. general who needed money. Alabi then sent the money overseas to co-conspirators who posed as the general. Alabi pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges in January.
Judge William E. Smith on Tuesday sentenced Alabi to 37 months in prison followed by three years probation and ordered him to pay $1.5 million in restitution.
The military imposter who set up the payments to Alabi called himself General Miller and told his victims he was a U.S. four-star general stationed abroad. He befriended a Rhode Island widow and said he needed her help shipping his personal belongings back to the United States.
She sent him a check, made payable to "Full Circle Import Exports" for $60,000. She was ready to send him a lot more when her bank and Westerly police figured out it was all a scam.
The 37-month prison sentence was at the top of of 24-to-37-month term set in a plea agreement. Federal sentencing guidelines recommended 63 to 78 months if Alabi had been convicted at trial.
Before pronouncing the sentence, the judge said he was almost reluctant to accept the plea deal, adding that 37 months seemed too short.
Two retired generals whose identities were used by the fraudsters to swindle the women gave statements at Tuesday's sentencing, saying that they had been contacted by victims looking to regain their money.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Man gets 3 years for scam that got $1.5 million from RI woman, others
