Five men have been jailed in the United Kingdom for their role in a romance fraud scheme that tricked dozens of victims out of more than two million euros.
The group targeted vulnerable victims online between 2017 and 2024, convincing them to hand over large sums of money. Investigators confirmed at least 40 victims, although prosecutors believe the true number could be as high as 99.
The Crown Prosecution Service said the men laundered the stolen money through multiple accounts, making it difficult to trace.
At Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday, sentences were handed down after the men were convicted of money laundering offences.
Fawaz Ali, 27, was jailed for four years and 10 months. Ebenezer Tackie, 42, received four years and six months, while Michael Quartey, 28, was sentenced to five years and six months. Kwabena Edusei, 37, received the heaviest sentence of seven years and 10 months, and George Melseaux, 40, was jailed for three years and nine months.
Prosecutors said the case emphasized the devastating human cost of romance fraud, which often leaves victims not only financially ruined but also emotionally scarred.
