After a five-day trial, Sherlyn Sims, also known as “Sherlyn Dzinzi,” was convicted by a jury for conspiring to launder and laundering proceeds from extensive romance fraud and business email compromise schemes. These frauds caused more than $1.2 million to be transferred into bank accounts under Sims’s control, where she quickly transferred, withdrew, and spent the funds.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan highlighted the severe impact of such fraud schemes, particularly on vulnerable, elderly victims. “Our elderly population is often targeted by criminals, resulting in devastating financial and emotional losses,” he stated. Buchanan emphasized that the verdict marks an end to Sims’s attempts to avoid accountability for her role in these crimes.
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge, Keri Farley, cautioned about the growing sophistication of fraudsters. “This case highlights the far-reaching consequences of these schemes, affecting not only Georgia residents but also victims globally,” Farley said.
Between December 2019 and August 2020, Sims and her co-defendants were involved in several fraudulent activities, including registering fake businesses like Grace Trading, LLC. The businesses, with no legitimate operations or employees, were used to open business accounts at banks such as J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America. Sims then used these accounts to receive deposits from victims of romance scams, diverting over $200,000 into the accounts.
Sims wired the proceeds to China and other foreign destinations, withdrew cash, and spent the rest. In total, over $1.2 million was laundered through these accounts from romance scams and business email frauds. One victim was tricked into sending a deposit for a new home purchase to one of Sims’s accounts.
Despite the closure of Grace Trading’s accounts, Sims continued to open new bank accounts under other fake business names. She also fraudulently obtained a COVID-relief loan from the Small Business Administration.
During the trial, several victims of romance fraud testified about their experiences. They explained how they were deceived into thinking they were in relationships with men they met online, only to be manipulated into sending large sums of money to Sims’s accounts. One victim lost nearly $100,000, believing her online “boyfriend” needed help paying taxes after being detained by customs officers.
Sherlyn Sims, 33, from Lawrenceville, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2024. Co-defendant Bright Eigbedion, 36, of Kearns, Utah, will be sentenced on August 29, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges. Presley Ihimekpen, 37, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison on August 1, 2024, and ordered to pay restitution to victims.
