Soon-to-be-married Couple Arrested for Alleged $3M Fraud Scheme

A scheduled wedding in Houston, Texas, has taken an unexpected turn as the soon-to-be-married couple, Darlington Akporugo, 46, and Jasmin Sood, 35, face arrest for their alleged involvement in defrauding elderly Americans of over $3 million through online romance scams.The wedding, slated for May 25, was announced on the couple’s website, but their plans were disrupted after authorities apprehended them on charges related to a long-running scheme targeting widowed victims on social media and dating platforms.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, Akporugo and Sood allegedly conspired for over seven years to defraud unsuspecting victims.

They reportedly built relationships with their targets online, gaining their trust before persuading them to transfer substantial amounts of money to various accounts under their control.

In a statement released by the USAO in April, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced the charges against Akporugo and Sood, highlighting the severity of their alleged crimes. The indictment accuses the couple of defrauding at least 13 victims of $3,123,073 between 2015 and 2022.

The statement also mentioned that Akporugo faces additional charges of aggravated identity theft and fraud related to access device. A notice of forfeiture has been issued for all proceeds acquired unlawfully through the fraudulent scheme.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the wedding plans have been abandoned, and the couple’s future remains uncertain amidst the allegations of fraud.