Con Man Guilty In 'Nigerian Letter'Scam

SPOKANE, Wash. - (04/17/06) – A convicted con man pleadedguilty Friday to bilking a local title agent who stole more than$670,000 from credit union and bank customers so she could pursue aget-rich scheme known as the ‘Nigerian Letter.’ TerryAyeni, 42, a Nigerian national, duped Donna Burbank into lootingfunds she held in escrow for homebuyers and their lenders to helpAyeni and accomplices recover what they billed as $35 million incash that had been blackened to get it through U.S. Customs.Burbank is serving a three-year prison sentence for stealing thefunds, $170,000 of it from Coulee Dam FCU. Ayeni pleaded guilty toone count of conspiracy and agreed to provide information about atleast three others involved in the scheme. The Nigerians convincedBurbank they needed funds to pay to have the cash cleaned after itcleared Customs, according to prosecutors. Ayeni is already servingtime in Ohio for an identical scam in New York and was scheduled tobe deported to Nigeria when his term expires, but is now expectedto receive a longer term when he is sentenced in June.