Four ‘romance scammers’ charged by SOCU after defrauding women

Four romance scammers were on Monday charged by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) after they defrauded eight women of $804,000.

The scammers are: Khadijah Long or Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10; Wayne Halley, 27, of Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Kevon McBean, 43, of Amelia’s Ward, Linden; and Matthew Ejike Nwackukwu, a 36-year-old Nigerian national who resides at Duncan Street, Kitty.

A SOCU release said the four persons were charged 21 counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and three counts of Forgery.

Long was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and placed on $50,000 bail; Halley was charged with ten counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and was placed on $300,000 bail; McBean was charged with three counts of Forgery and was placed on $100,000 bail and Nwackukwu were also charged with ten counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and was remanded to prison.

They all appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Principal Magistrate Rondel Weaver. They all pleaded not guilty and the matters were adjourned to July 27 for statements.

SOCU also offered details on the scammers’ crimes.

It was noted that eight women were befriended by a man on WhatsApp; they established a long distance relationship with this man and communicated regularly via social media.

That man promised to send packages containing items such as cologne, bags, watches, chains and US currency to the women in Guyana. Thereafter, the women received WhatsApp messages from a delivery agent of the Delta Courier Service who told them that the packages would be delivered from Chicago.

The women were asked to send cash to Long, Halley and Nwackukwu to facilitate the delivery of the packages. Those women sent $804,000 but never received any items.

McBean was contacted by Halley to assist in processing transactions at the Mackenzie Post Office in Linden. SOCU said between June 24, 2022 and July 4, 2022, McBean colluded with Halley to forge the signature of the recipients on several Guyana Post Office Corporation money orders and collected the cash.

The matters were eventually reported to SOCU and the scammers were nabbed.