A 41-year-old Nigerian based in Georgia, United States, Babajide Adesayo, has been convicted by a federal jury for laundering more than $2.7m linked to romance fraud and other online scams.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Adesayo was convicted on August 6, 2026, following an eight-day trial. Punch Newspaper reports that he was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 16 counts of transactional money laundering.
Adesayo, who resides in Douglasville, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2026, before United States District Judge Mark H. Cohen.
The prosecution said the Nigerian faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy counts. He could also receive up to 10 years on each transactional money-laundering count.
In addition, the court could impose another consecutive sentence of up to 10 years because the offences were allegedly committed while he was on release.
The actual punishment, however, will be determined by the court after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges but are not binding.
The case highlights the continued crackdown by US authorities on financial networks used to process proceeds from romance scams and other online fraud schemes.
Adesayo’s sentencing is expected to determine the extent of the prison term and other penalties he will face following his conviction.
