Kenyan woman jailed in US for online fraud

(BBC) A Kenyan national living in the US has been fined and jailed for her role in helping to organise romance scams and pandemic unemployment fraud.

Florence Mwende Musau, 38, was sentenced by a US court to 44 months in prison. Musau was also ordered to pay almost $1m (£810,000) in restitution to the victims and to forfeit approximately $350,000 and a Lexus SUV.

Musau was charged in 2021, along with with five others, in connection with their roles in the online scams in which the victims collectively lost more than $4m.

The US authorities said the group used fake passports and numerous aliases to open bank accounts in and around Boston to collect and launder the proceeds of the romance scams.

“Musau also received the proceeds of fraudulent state pandemic unemployment assistance benefits in the names of victims,” the US Attorney’s Office said.

“As part of the scheme, Musau used at least three different aliases to open nearly 10 fraudulent bank accounts and receive approximately $1m in fraud proceeds,” a statement added.

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