Former Army Soldier, Sanda G. Frimpong, was sentenced to 40 months in a federal prison and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to victims for laundering the money he gained through a series of romance scams.
Exploiting the Vulnerable
Frimpong, a former specialist, scammed victims out of more than $350,0000. He was sentenced on April 11 during his federal court hearing at Fort Liberty, NC. Frimpong pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering in September 2023.
“Romance scammers exploit our most vulnerable citizens, even our seniors, and military veterans, sometimes leaving them financially and emotionally devastated,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley in a Department of Justice press release. “The fact that an Army service member was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling. We are partnering with the Department of Defense to drum out fraudsters and money launderers like Frimpong from our military ranks and put them in prison where they belong.”
“Integrity is a core tenet of the armed forces and when servicemembers choose to compromise their integrity for greed, it tarnishes the reputation of all others serving in uniform,” stated Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS and its law enforcement partners will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those accountable who cheat government programs and use online scams to prey on the most vulnerable.”
A network identified
Frimpong did not work alone; at least three other individuals were mentioned in court documents, identifying them by initials, G.F., F.A., and B.S. He and other conspirators executed multiple scams by impersonating romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other false identities. They used these false personas to earn the confidence of their victims and scammed them out of thousands of dollars.
Frimpong’s group made promises to the victims with romance, sharing of inheritance, and even moving gold bars out of dangerous situations and countries. The group of conspirators communicated their plans using apps like Snapchat and WhatsApp.
Frimpong then took the money and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars through various banking systems, across state lines, and even through his contacts in Ghana.
Grifting the Government
The group also fraudulently applied for funds under the CARES Act, which was an economic stimulus plan that provided funds, loans, and additional support during the pandemic, court documents stated.
Frimpong and his group also applied for unemployment benefits in nearly a dozen states using stolen identities.
Frimpong was an active duty soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, now called Fort Liberty, while he and his group carried out these offenses up until his arrest in 2023.
