They are accused of scamming an old man out of more than $100,000 by making him think he was dating a famous person. The couple from New Jersey is now being charged in Tennessee. Police say the man later killed himself.
It took the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WSCO) and the Piscataway Township Police Department to catch Chinagorom Onwumere, 34, and Salma Abdalkareem, 27.
News 12 Ohio reports that both suspects are charged with six crimes: three counts of extortion, three counts of financial exploitation of an elderly or defenceless person, two counts of theft over $60,000, and two counts of criminal impersonation.
Sheriff Keith Sexton of WSCO said that they learned about the scam near the end of October. The victim sent gift cards and checks worth a total of $87,500 to the suspects. The suspects are said to have threatened the victim and his family through email.
Police say the suspects are still being held in Tennessee on $500,000 bail until their detention hearing on November 30.
The investigation is still going on, and more charges are expected soon.