Columbus man involved in romance scam money laundering sentenced to prison, payments of over $800,000

The day before Valentine’s Day, a Columbus man convicted of money laundering the proceeds of a multi-year romance scam has learned his fate.

Mubarik Ibrahim, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson yesterday to 27 months in federal prison and restitution payments of nearly $840,000. He pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering last June.

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According to court documents, Ibrahim and his co-conspirators allegedly laundered proceeds from a romance scam between December of 2014 and April of 2022. 

The romance scam–which Ibrahim did not directly take part in–involved the creation of multiple fake dating profiles on apps and websites. After meeting or matching with individuals, those involved with the scam would then request money from victims, and the funds would later be transferred to Ibrahim, who made transactions and transfers using a variety of methods, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

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