| Bashiru
Ganiyu
Detained in
Romance Scam
Has Trial and
Found Guilty
on 4 Counts
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
April 23 – Bashiru
Ganiyu was
indicted on
charges
ranging from
wire fraud and
mail fraud to
money
laundering, as
part of a
romance scam
conspiracy.
On
July 6, 2023
Ganiyu was
arraigned
before U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York
Magistrate
Judge Jennifer
E. Willis.
Inner City
Press was
there.
The indictment
puts the value
of the scheme
at $5.2
million. The
earlier
complaint
describes
lonely victims
targeted over
dating apps.
Ganiyu pled
not guilty and
was detained
on
consent.
On
July 26,
Bashiru Ganiyu
was back
before
Magistrate
Judge Valerie
Figueredo,
seeking
release on
bond. Inner
City Press was
there - it was
right before
the US
Attorney's
Office agreed
to bail for UK
billionaire
Joe Lewis. But
they opposed
release of
Ganiyu, citing
his ties to
Ghana. And he
was ordered to
remain
detained.
The trial, if
it happens,
has been set
for April 16,
2024.
On
August 24-25,
Ganiyu's
lawyer asked
Judge Kaplan
to schedule a
bail hearing,
citing
possible
co-signers
employed by
Towne Nursing
LLC, Pulse 4
Pulse, Onsight
Diagnostic
Testing, the
NYC Board of
Education and
Dnata Airport
Services at
Building 66,
JFK Airport.
On
August 28
Judge Kaplan
denied the
application,
noting that
"of the six
individuals
purportedly
willing to
sign a bond,
only two have
family
relationships
with Mr.
Ganiyu....
These
individuals
are unlikely
to possess
moral suasion"
and that he
could flee to
Ghana.
On
November 15,
Judge Kaplan
set Ganiyu's
trial for
April 16, 2024
and said if
there is any
change of
plea, it is to
be taken to
the
Magistrates
Court.
On
April 23,
after a brief
trial, Bissah
was found
guilty on four
counts.
Sentencing was
set for
September 18
at 11 am.
On
November 30.
2023
co-defendant
Bissah, for
his sentencing
on December
14, asked for
18 months.
On
December 14,
Judge Kaplan
sentenced
Bissah to 30
months and
$185,390 of
forfeiture.
Colorado was
recommended,
and surrender
on January 5.
But
on January 4
Bissah's
counsel wrote
in that no
designation
had been made,
and asked for
45 days or
when
designation.
It was
granted.
The
case is US v.
Ganiyu,
23-cr-331
(Kaplan /
Figueredo)
***
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