TL;DR: The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa announced on March 11, 2026 that Naabanyin Aniagyei-Cobbold, 30, of Connecticut, was sentenced on March 5 to nine years for wire fraud and money laundering. He received over $1.5 million from victims, including over $400,000 from one Iowa victim, through a sham company, and must repay $1,554,442.46.
What happened
The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa says Naabanyin Aniagyei-Cobbold, 30, of Connecticut, was sentenced on March 5, 2026 to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud and money laundering. He must pay $1,554,442.46 in restitution. He received over $1.5 million from victims across the country, including over $400,000 from one victim in central Iowa.
How the scheme worked
- Fake profiles on dating sites and social media were used to exploit victims.
- He ran a fake company, Alpha Distributions LLC, to receive victims' money.
- He recruited and coached at least one other person to create a sham entity, a website and bank accounts to receive victim funds.
- Victims sent money at their purported partners' request, believing it would help unite them.
The damage and the lies
Many victims drained retirement accounts, sold homes and vehicles, returned to work after retiring, and borrowed heavily from friends and family. When confronted by the FBI, he lied that Alpha Distributions was a legitimate business sourcing electronics for people in Africa, and he produced false invoices and receipts in response to a grand jury subpoena. The release also notes he made a music video during the conspiracy that referenced scam money. A co-defendant, Nana Takyiwa Adonu, was scheduled for sentencing on July 16, 2026. The FBI Omaha Cyber Task Force and Polk County Sheriff's Office investigated.
The release cites the FBI figure that about 59,000 people fell victim to romance scams in 2024, losing over $672 million. Our romance scam statistics and FBI IC3 2025 report in numbers show the latest picture.
Red flags
- Being asked to pay a company or a third party instead of the person you know.
- A partner who needs money to “come to you” or settle a business problem.
- Pressure to cash out retirement accounts or sell property.
- Different explanations of where your money is going.
If you paid a company at a partner's request, read next steps after a romance scam and report at IC3. See red flags and run our free digital footprint check.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the sentence?
Nine years in prison and three years of supervised release, with $1,554,442.46 in restitution.
How much did he receive?
Over $1.5 million from victims, including over $400,000 from one Iowa victim.
What was Alpha Distributions LLC?
A fake company he used to receive victims' money, claimed to be an electronics sourcing business.
How many romance scam victims did the FBI count in 2024?
About 59,000 people, losing over $672 million, according to the release.
Sources
- US Attorney's Office, S.D. Iowa: Connecticut man sentenced to nine years for participating in nationwide romance scam (Mar 11, 2026)
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- FTC ReportFraud