Jun 09, 2021

Omaha pro soccer player pleads not guilty in 'romance scam'

Posted Jun 09, 2021 10:00 PM

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A player on Omaha's pro soccer team has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of using an online romance scam to swindle people out of more than $214,000.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Abdul Osumanu, 24, of Ghana, entered the pleas remotely Tuesday in a West Virginia federal court to two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and receipt of stolen money.

Osumanu is a starting defender for the Union Omaha professional soccer team but has not participated in practices or games since he was arrested May 27.

Authorities say Osumanu and another man created a fake online profile in 2017, pretending to be a woman and convincing two people to send money.