A NIGERIAN businessman who laundered nearly £200,000 in profits from a worldwide internet dating scam centred on North-East locations has been jailed for three years.

Osaro Osaigbovo, 39, helped a gang who preyed on lonely hearts subscribing to dating websites across Europe and the United States.

Victims subscribing to Match and Adult Friend Finder were cruelly duped after building online relationships with fraudsters posing as lovestruck singletons.

Gang members targeted subscribers and requested wire transfers after courting them for several months, Southwark Crown Court heard.

In one case a Belgian man lost £320,000 after he was tricked into believing he was helping a female artist living in County Durham.

The scammers created a number of bogus websites, false email addresses and fake documents.

Many of the websites had links to Darlington and Durham City.

One site featured a bogus hospital in Hurworth, near Darlington.

Another advertised a fake hotel in Darlington - offering sea-view rooms for £200 a night.

Sentencing Osaigbovo for laundering nearly £194,000 from the worldwide scam, the judge Mr Recorder Christopher Morris-Coole said: "This was an iniquitous trick that seems to be gathering momentum through the use of internet dating agencies throughout the world.

"In this case there was clear evidence that persons had joined up with internet dating organisations and through that they had entered into regular communications with certain persons.

"These persons were frauds and pretended to be totally different people to who they were.

"The actual stories given to the subscribers were subtle and developed over time in order to gain their confidence.

"The victims were vulnerable people seeking friendship and long-term security, putting their trust and faith in these tricksters who appeared genuine to them.

"Your role was not the original confidence trickster, but it is clear from the evidence that you became engaged in the money laundering process at a very early stage.

"I am approaching sentencing on the basis that you were the money launderer, and therefore you were not the ultimate beneficiary.

"I am not prepared to accept what was said that you were simply performing these acts as favours.

"Your behaviour in this case was so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

Osaigbovo received a total of £45,641.78 from the scam which lasted between 2010 and 2011.

One woman from Florida was duped out of nearly £25,000 by a man claiming he was a Los Angeles based neurosurgeon who needed funds to sort out the affairs of his dead business partner.

A Belgian man was then swindled out of over £320,000 by a woman posing as a lawyer who needed cash to travel across the continent.

The 59-year-old gave the money believing he was helping a young artist called Chloe Elsevier living in County Durham.

Despite being warned by the Metropolitan Police he may have been a victim of online fraud, he continued transferring cash and even sent a copy of the police letter to the scammers.

The man only realised he had been conned when he read an article in The Northern Echo about the newspaper's investigation into the gang.

The court heard just over £100,000 of the proceeds were transferred to Osaigbovo's network of accounts.

Danny Robinson, prosecuting, said Osaigbovo took no part in the internet dating scam himself but committed a series of money laundering offences.

"Your honour will know the effect that the frauds had upon their victims," Mr Robinson said.

"These were particularly mean offences committed upon those looking for love and relationships over the internet.

"Mr Osaigbovo was in this together with others - that's how this case was put to the jury."

Osaigbovo, who has a master's degree in human resources from the University of Hertfordshire, is a 'substantial contributor' to the God Worshippers Ministry in Hackney, the court heard.

David Smith, defending, said Osaigbovo lives with five family members, including two sisters-in-law, and came to the UK with 'big dreams'.

Recently Osaigbovo was offered a role as a human resources assistant, leaving an earlier post as a cleaner.

Osaigbovo, of Tudor Close in Dartford, Kent, was found guilty of entering into a money laundering arrangement and three counts of acquiring criminal property.

The jury found him not guilty of a second count of money laundering and seven counts of acquiring criminal property.

His sister-in-law, Telma Asemota, 30, was acquitted of entering into a money laundering arrangement and five counts of acquiring criminal property.

Members of Osaigbovo's family fell to the floor in shock and screamed as he was led away to the cells.