MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A Western Tennessean was scammed out of over $400,000 by a group of Nigerians who have since been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in the conspiracy, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee. Four Nigerians residing in the United States and Canada were sentenced for taking part in a conspiracy involving romance and investment scams against victims across the United States, including Western Tennessee. Stolen Maxima sold on Facebook a day after theft, victim says They were all convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a scheme that used fake identities and email accounts on Internet dating sites to trick people into wiring or mailing money to shell companies and fake agents. A Federal Grand Jury in the Western District of Tennessee indicted the four men in June 2023. Below is a list of those convicted. Patrick Edah, 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Toronto, Canada area, Efe Egbowawa, 41, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area, Igocha Mac-Okor, 40, a Nigerian citizen residing in the Atlanta area, and Kay Ozegbe, 44, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Atlanta. The U.S. Attorney's Office says that from 2017 to November 2021, the men assumed fake identities on social media, gaming applications, dating websites, and other platforms to scheme victims into entering friendships and romantic relationships. They then convinced victims to send them money via wire, check, U.S. mail, and package delivery services. If the victim sent the scammer money, the scammer would increasingly ask for larger amounts. Reports say dozens of victims lost between several thousand dollars and several hundred thousand dollars. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, over several months, one person in Western Tennessee lost over $400,000 to the scheme. The four men worked with other members of the conspiracy to move the financial proceeds of the scams through several bank accounts and shell companies to hide the sources of the money and make it difficult to trace. 📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. 📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. Egbowawa was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, Ozegbe to 36 months, Edah to 30 months, and Mac-Okor to 50 months. “These individuals used deception and fraud to prey on the vulnerable causing unmeasurable emotional damage and significant financial losses,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI - Nashville Field Office, Memphis Resident Agency.  “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target these predators and bring them to justice.”