NJ Church Deacon Charged in $500,000 Romance Scam Involving Elderly Woman

An ordained deacon at a church in Newark has been arrested in Kentucky and charged with conning an elderly New York woman out of half a million dollars in a romance scam, according to authorities.

On Monday, April 20, police officers and investigators executed a search warrant in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, following an investigation that began in New York.

The day before, investigators learned that an elderly woman had been the victim of a romance scam for over three years, losing more than $500,000, Mt. Sterling police said.

After her adult son got involved and reported the scam, the man, identified as Ephraim Uduoso, 43, of Union, threatened the woman that a hired hit would be put out on her son if she didn’t continue paying him, according to officials.

During the extortion attempt, officials said Uduoso accidentally revealed an address, prompting a swift warrant.

Police seized multiple cell phones, computers, ledgers, and countless Western Union transaction receipts during the search.

Uduoso was arrested and charged with an unrelated traffic warrant and theft by extortion of $10,000 or more.

Uduoso, born and raised as a Roman Catholic in Nigeria, is an ordained Roman Catholic deacon and works at Dominican Missionaries, St. John’s Church, 22 Mulberry Street in Newark, according to the organization’s website.

However, according to an NJ.com report, a woman who answered the phone at Dominican Missionaries said Uduoso is no longer associated with the organization, and said he might have been framed by someone else.

Meantime, Mt. Sterling police are urging residents to stay alert against such scams. Never send gift cards, cryptocurrency, personal information, or money to strangers.

“We’d much prefer you check with us if something seems suspicious rather than end up filing a theft report for your life savings,” they said.

Source: Read the original report