Four more Romance Scammers Charged by SOCU
27-year-old Khadijah Long, of Amelia’s Ward Linden, 27-year-old Wayne Halley, a driver of Mocha, EBD, 43-year-old Kevon Mc Bean, a postal clerk of Amelia’s Ward, Linden and 36-year-old Nigerian Matthew Ejike Nwackukwu, unemployed, of Duncan Street, Kitty, were on Monday 26th June, 2023 charged by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) with 21 counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and three counts of Forgery.
They all appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Principal Magistrate Rondel Weaver where the charges were read to them and they all pleaded not guilty.
Long was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and was placed on $50,000 bail.
Wayne Halley was charged with 10 counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and was placed on $300,000 bail.
Kevon Mc Bean was charged with three counts of Forgery and was placed on $100,000 bail, while Matthew Ejike Nwackukwu was charged with ten (10) counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and was remanded to prison.
The matters were adjourned to the 27th July 2023 for statements.
The facts are eight females were befriended by a male Caucasian on WhatsApp, where they established a so-called long-distance relationship and communicated regularly via social media.
During their conversations the male Caucasian told them that, he will be sending to Guyana packages containing items such as cologne, bags, watches, chains and US currency.
Thereafter they received WhatsApp messages from a delivery agent of the Delta Courier Service, who informed them that the packages are in transit in their Chicago Office, USA.
They were then asked to send cash to Khadijah Long, Wayne Halley and Matthew Ejike Nwackukwu to facilitate the delivery of the packages.
Subsequently the victims sent a total of eight hundred and four thousand dollars ($804,000.00) to Khadijah Long, Wayne Halley and Matthew Ejike Nwackukwu but they never received any package.
Kevon Mc Bean was contacted by Halley who asked her to assist in processing transactions at the Mc Kenzie Post Office Linden and she agreed.
Within the period of June 24-July 14 2022, she colluded with the said Halley and forged the signatures of recipients on several Guyana Post Office Corporation Inland Money Order and collected the cash.
The matters were reported to the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and investigations were conducted. Legal advice was sought and they were later charged with the present offences.
