Two men have been jailed for swindling more than £147,000 from women in an online dating scam.
Godwin Woghiren, aged 33, from Basildon and Abayomi Olowo, aged 47, from Harrow were snared in an operation by Essex Police called Operation Pang.
Woghiren denied ten counts of money laundering, but a jury at Basildon Crown Court found him guilty after a three week trial. Olowo was also found guilty of five counts of converting criminal property and one of failing to disclose suspicious activity.
Essex Police's investigation began in September 2011 when they were contacted by Canadian authorities about a victim duped into sending more than £113,000.
She and the men's other victims all met them via dating websites, on which they purported to be wealthy oil rig workers from London. The women were drawn into a web of lies before asking for money to help them finish projects so they could fly out and marry the victims.
Woghiren, a security guard, and Olowo were sentenced to 13 months and 12 months imprisonment respectively.
