A couple from New Jersey is being charged of perpetrating an extortion scheme that targeted a Tenneseee man who subsequently died by suicide.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office announced charges on Nov. 21 against Chinagorom Onwumere, 34, and Salma Abdalkareem, 27, accusing them of extorting a man for more than $100,000.
The 74-year old victim, who lived in Jonesborough, Tennessee, died by suicide after realizing he was being scammed.
The man was tricked into believing that he was in a romantic long-distance relationship with a celebrity and was scammed into paying fines from a fake sexual harassment suit.
Police claim the man ended up paying the couple $87,500 in gift cards and checks, after Onwumere and Abdalkareem allegedly threatened him and his family through multiple emails.
The couple are each charged with three counts of extortion, three counts of financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person, two counts of theft over $60,000 and two counts of criminal impersonation.
Onwumere and Abdalkareem were arrested at their home in Piscataway, New Jersey and were transported to Tennessee after waiving extradition.
