A Cuyahoga County man was sentenced to prison for his role in romance fraud schemes that targeted the elderly throughout Northern Ohio and elsewhere. Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, 38, of Parma, Ohio, was sentenced to 63 months (5.25 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after pleading guilty in October 2025 to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering. According to court records, from December 2017 to March 2024, an international elder fraud and money laundering conspiracy targeted older Americans in the Northern District of Ohio and across the United States. This investigation and prosecution are in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.