Pawnee woman accused of laundering of $1.5M from elderly women in online romance scam
Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, was arrested and booked into the Pawnee County jail Monday on complaints of unlawful use of criminal proceeds and violations of the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act. Online court records did not list an attorney for her.
Echohawk is accused of laundering money from multiple victims living in Florida, Texas, and Utah between Sept. 30 and Dec. 26, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit. According to agents with the Oklahoma Attorney General's office, the victims were elderly women ranging in age from 64 to 79. They thought they were sending money to a man with whom they believed they were dating online, according to the affidavit.
"These types of scams that target seniors are especially egregious," Oklahoma AG Gentner Drummond said in a news release Tuesday. "I applaud the work of my Consumer Protection Unit to fight for these victims and to hold accountable their alleged perpetrator."
More: Nigerian man in OKC sentenced in romance scam involving Alabama woman
According to the affidavit, Drummond's office received a referral from MidFirst Bank in January of suspected senior-fraud activity after the bank intercepted a $120,000 transfer from one of the alleged victims.
That woman sent $120,000 to Echohawk after allegedly being told the money would pay for fuel to help the male subject's Alaskan tanker, supposedly carrying 700,000 oil barrels, return to shore, according to the affidavit.
Another woman was persuaded to pay $250,000 to Echohawk to allegedly help a male subject pay off expenses for a financial portfolio in Syria, also detailed in the affidavit.
And another woman sold her paid-off home so that she could send $600,000 to Echohawk, according to the affidavit.
The victims sent Apple gift cards, cash and cashiers' checks, and wired money to accounts owned by Echohawk at MidFirst Bank, investigators said.
More: Jail trust contracts juvenile housing with Pawnee County Sheriff's Office
In January 2024, Pawnee police interviewed Echohawk about suspected criminal activity. After being told she was laundering funds, Echohawk allegedly stopped depositing and moving the funds for a short time, before deciding to start back up again, according to the affidavit. Echohawk told police that she was receiving and transferring the funds on behalf of the male subject, with whom she also believed herself to be in a relationship romantically, according to the affidavit.
Echohawk told investigators she would deposit and transfer the funds through various accounts, converting most of the funds to cryptocurrency, and then send the crypto payments to an account under the male subject's name, as detailed in the affidavit. In a news release Tuesday, the AG's office said that suspect has not been identified.
Investigators also wrote that Echohawk said she used some of the funds that had not been converted to cryptocurrency for personal gain. They also said she admitted to lying to various banks about the source of the money she'd received, saying that they were from people who'd owed money to her late husband, according to the affidavit.
During an interview with investigators last month cited in the affidavit, Echohawk said she has an associate's degree in business and various nursing certifications. She also asked investigators if the issue would "all go away" if she were to pay back the people who'd sent her money, according to the affidavit. She now faces five felony counts that could carry a combined 24 to 62 years in prison and fines of up to $260,000, according to the AG's office.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Pawnee woman charged in alleged $1.5 million laundering scam
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
ICE Detains Man With 'Pending' Green Card Application After Car Crash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Oladipo Oyeneyin, a Nigerian-born man who has lived in the United States for more than 15 years and has a "pending" green card application, was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a car crash, according to an online fundraiser. Newsweek has reached out to ICE via email and to the GoFundMe page for comment on Wednesday. Why It Matters Oyeneyin's detention comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, with the president having pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Immigrants residing in the country both illegally and legally, with valid documentation such as green cards and visas, as well as those with criminal histories, have been detained. The Trump administration has deported thousands of people to their countries of origin, as well as a smaller percentage to third countries with U.S. agreements. It has also encouraged individuals without proper documentation to self-deport. What To Know A GoFundMe created on Oyeneyin's behalf says he was in a car accident "but not as the person at fault," last week. The online fundraiser continued, "he was arrested and charged with hit-and-run and evading arrest." Oyeneyin, 48, was then held by ICE due to his immigration status, the online fundraiser says. Newsweek has confirmed in the ICE database tracker that he is held in the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas. The center has a capacity of around 1,300 people and is run by the Geo Group. The GoFundMe notes that Oyeneyin has lived in the U.S. for over 15 years and that "his green card application has been pending for years." His next immigration court date is reportedly in January 2027. The fundraiser noted that Oyeneyin lost his job and was unable to pay his former immigration attorney, "which caused delays in completing necessary steps for his case — steps he was determined to finish before his hearing." In 2018, Oyeneyin was charged with assaulting a family member in Houston, according to court documents reviewed by Newsweek. The charge was a misdemeanor class A. The judge placed him on probation in 2022. Another Texas court report shows that in 2019, Oyeneyin was arrested by the Harris County Sheriff's office for driving while intoxicated. Inset: Oladipo Oyeneyin. Main: National Guard and other law enforcement stationed in Eagle Pass, Texas, on March 20, 2024. Inset: Oladipo Oyeneyin. Main: National Guard and other law enforcement stationed in Eagle Pass, Texas, on March 20, 2024. GoFundMe/Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via AP What People Are Saying Ikenna Ezeaju, who organized the GoFundMe for Oladipo Oyeneyin, wrote in the online fundraiser: "Oladipo Oyeneyin is a kind, hardworking person who simply wants the chance to clear his name, continue his life here, and contribute to the country he's called home for most of his adult life." Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement previously shared with Newsweek: "Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem, we are delivering on President Trump's and the American people's mandate to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens to make America safe. Secretary Noem unleashed ICE to target the worst of the worst and carry out the largest deportation operation of criminal aliens in American history." What Happens Next U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released its September 2025 visa bulletin, providing key updates for applicants across family-based, employment-based, and diversity visa categories. USCIS currently has 11.3 million pending applications.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Yahoo
Nigeria seizes more than 1,600 exotic birds in one of the biggest wildlife trafficking busts in years
Nigerian customs said they seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported from Lagos international airport to Kuwait without a permit, in one the biggest wildlife trafficking seizures in years. The seizure is a sign of positive change in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking, as Nigeria is a major hub in the global trade in protected species, Mark Ofua, West Africa spokesperson for the international non-governmental organization Wild Africa, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Customs agents seized ring-necked parakeets and green and yellow fronted canaries, two protected species, at the airport on July 31, the agency said in a statement late Monday. Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. The statement by the customs agency said the shipment was not accompanied by a CITES permit and other documents required to prove the birds were legally customs said an investigation to find those responsible for the illicit cargo is ongoing, and that the birds will be handed to the National Parks Service for rehabilitation and release into the wild. Ofua said Nigeria's porous borders, widespread corruption, and weak enforcement make it a key transit point for ivory, pangolin scales and other wildlife products destined for Asia. Global illegal wildlife trafficking is valued at $8–10 billion annually, he added. Solve the daily Crossword
05-08-2025
Nigerian customs seize over 1,600 parrots and canaries in major wildlife trafficking bust
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Nigerian customs said they seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported from Lagos international airport to Kuwait without a permit, in one the biggest wildlife trafficking seizures in years. The seizure is a sign of positive change in the fight against illegal wildlife trade, as Nigeria is a major hub in the global trade in protected species, Mark Ofua, West Africa spokesperson for the international non-governmental organization Wild Africa, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Customs agents seized ring-necked parakeets and green and yellow fronted canaries, two protected species, at the airport on July 31, the agency said in a statement late Monday. Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. The statement by the customs agency said the shipment were not accompanied by a CITES permit and other documents required to prove the birds were legally obtained. Nigerian customs said an investigation to find those responsible for the illicit cargo is ongoing, and that the birds will be handed to the National Parks Service for rehabilitation and release into the wild. Ofua said Nigeria's porous borders, widespread corruption, and weak enforcement make it a key transit point for ivory, pangolin scales and other wildlife products destined for Asia. Global illegal wildlife trafficking is valued at $8–10 billion annually, he added.
