Georgia Resident Found Guilty in Multimillion-Dollar Romance Scam

NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the conviction of KENNETH G. AKPIEYI, a/k/a “Phillip Anderson,” age 44, of Marietta, Georgia, after a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. The jury convicted the defendant on all three counts of the superseding indictment: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and mail fraud related to a years-long romance scam.

According to the evidence presented at trial, AKPIEYI played a key role in defrauding women through a scheme where perpetrators represented themselves to victims, mostly women, as romantic partners. They often claimed to be generals, philanthropists, or entrepreneurs who lived outside the United States. Conspirators would meet victims on Facebook, Instagram, and similar social media platforms, gain the trust of the victims, and then ask the victims to move their conversations to WhatsApp or another encrypted platform. Thereafter, the perpetrators would foster a romantic relationship with their victims and then ask the victims to send money for fraudulent reasons, such as to help with charitable work or to assist sick family members

Evidence at trial showed that AKPIEYI would then receive victim funds under the alias “Phillip Anderson” at his residence in Marietta, Georgia. AKPIEYI also used his company, KGA Autobrokers, LLC, to funnel money to other bank accounts, often using accounts at different banks to obscure the movement of victim money. On one occasion, AKPIEYI deposited two checks totaling $300,000 from the same victim at two different banks in the Marietta area on the same day, even though both checks were written to KGA Autobrokers. Frequently, victim funds ended up in bank accounts in foreign countries such as China and the United Arab Emirates. Eight victims testified at trial, explaining how they had been defrauded through the scheme. They testified to total losses of over $3 million.

Judge Milazzo scheduled AKPIEYI’s sentencing for November 5, 2025. The maximum penalties for each of the counts of mail fraud and for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud are 20 years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine or the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The maximum penalties for conspiracy to commit money laundering are 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.