Baltimore County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Elder Fraud Schemes

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has sentenced Ambrose A. Obinna Warrior, 44, of Milford Mill, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison. Warrior served as an unlicensed money transmitter in connection with various romance, business email compromise, and investment schemes.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office; and Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in March 2018, and continuing through at least August 2021, Warrior received victims’ funds and transferred them to other scheme participants through federally insured financial institutions in exchange for a percentage.  Warrior opened personal and business bank accounts and formed the limited liability company, The Golden Voice of Orientals, to conduct, control, manage, and direct his unlicensed money transmitting business.

Additionally, Warrior used WhatsApp to communicate bank account information to other scheme participants and his fee for receiving and transmitting funds from victims, which was usually 20 percent or more.  After depositing the funds, Warrior retained a portion of the money as a fee and ensured others received a portion of the fraudulent funds.  Warrior also transferred victims’ funds to scheme participants overseas.

In total, Warrior transmitted or attempted to transfer more than $700,000 in proceeds from various schemes. Victims lost at least $467,912.

Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older, and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available. Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers through assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.  The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday.  English, Spanish, and other languages are available.  Learn more about the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at www.elderjustice.gov.  Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and United States Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Adeyemi Adenrele who prosecuted the federal case. The FBI's Baltimore and Salt Lake City Field Offices, along with the St. George Resident Agency, investigated this case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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