San Francisco Chronicle

03/12/05

A Sacramento [CA] man of Nigerian descent was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison Friday for running an international investment scam that defrauded investors of more than $2.1 million through a Nigerian advance fee scheme. Roland Adams, 38, admitted that he conspired with others in Nigeria, South Africa and Canada to run the scheme. Potential investors were mailed letters supposedly from African government officials who wanted help in diverting millions of dollars held in bogus trusts or accounts. In exchange for a future share of the fictitious money, the victims were persuaded to send in fees of several thousand to several hundred thousand dollars to individuals or accounts around the world. ... He pleaded guilty in August 2003 to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, and conspiring to launder money, and was sentenced to 97 months in prison...

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Informant: Thomas L. Knapp