Ghanian man sentenced to 63 months for two-million dollar international wire fraud conspiracy

Wigbert Bandie, a 34-year-old from Accra, Ghana, was sentenced to 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan on November 26, 2024, for his role in a romance scam targeting elderly victims.

Bandie, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was part of a group that used fake identities on social media and dating websites to exploit victims, convincing them to send money.

The victims, mostly elderly, were deceived into believing they were in romantic relationships and were coerced into sending large sums of money.

Bandie was also ordered to repay $2.18 million in restitution to 11 victims.

Following his prison term, he will serve three years on supervised release.