CINCINNATI — A Cincinnati man accused of taking over $2 million from people he defrauded on dating websites pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of money laundering, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick S. Gerace II announced Wednesday.
Richard Opoku Agyeman, 41, is one of multiple people who used stolen photographs and false information to create profiles on dating websites and then form romantic relationships with victims online. He went on to trick his victims into sending money under the false pretense that their funds would support things like medical expenses for the person they met online.
Dozens of victims sent more than $2 million by wiring money or depositing checks to accounts controlled by Agyemang, according to court documents.
Agyeman was originally indicted on 11 charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of criminal activity. The indictment said Agyemang also made false claims in a PPP loan application in April 2021, which provided him with more than $20,000 in COVID relief.
After he was charged federally in April 2024, Agyeman pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering stemming from a transfer of $32,000 of fraud proceeds from 2022.
Agyeman's plea agreement recommends a sentence of up to 41 months in prison.
