Nigerian gets 3 years in US prison for $1.3M online fraud

HOUSTON – Prosecutors say a Nigerian man living in Texas must serve three years in a U.S. prison for a more than $1.3 million internet scam with fake passports and romance schemes.

Wiseman Oputa was sentenced Thursday by a federal judge in Houston. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to wire fraud in April.

Investigators say Oputa used counterfeit passports to open bank accounts in the Houston area. The passports had his photo but different names and identification.

Prosecutors say he then then lured online victims into sending money to those accounts. The scams ranged from bogus business deals and romance offers to false reports of money won and taxes needing to be paid to acquire the winnings.

Along with restitution, Oputa also will face deportation proceedings when he leaves prison.