🎙️Episode 25: Love, Lies, and Laundering Series Part 1: Nadine Jazimne Wade and the Business of Romance Fraud

Romance scams are usually framed as lonely people tricked by fake lovers online. But behind those fake profiles are real systems moving real money.
In this episode of Black Coffee, Crime & Crochet, we open the Love, Lies, and Laundering Series with the case of Nadine Jazimne Wade, a Bronx woman who laundered millions of dollars for an international romance scam ring.

Prosecutors say Wade used shell companies and bank accounts to move more than two million dollars taken from victims who believed they were helping someone they loved. She did not catfish the victims herself, but her role made the scheme possible by turning emotional manipulation into usable cash.

This episode breaks down how the laundering operation worked, how the larger fraud ring functioned, and why her sentence mattered in the broader fight against romance fraud. It also examines why this case stands out and what it reveals about the infrastructure behind online romance scams.

SHOW NOTES

In this episode of Black Coffee, Crime & Crochet, we begin the Love, Lies, and Laundering Series with the case of Nadine Jazimne Wade. Wade was convicted for laundering millions of dollars connected to an international romance fraud operation. While victims believed they were sending money to someone they loved, prosecutors say their funds were being routed through bank accounts and shell companies controlled by Wade and her associates.

This episode explores how romance scams depend on more than just fake profiles and emotional manipulation. It examines the financial infrastructure behind these schemes and the role played by people who never spoke to the victims but made the crimes possible.

We break down Wade’s background, her involvement in the laundering network, how the larger fraud ring operated, and how federal investigators uncovered the scheme. We also discuss why her sentence was significant and what her case reveals about the hidden business side of romance fraud.

This episode sets the foundation for understanding how love based scams function as organized financial systems rather than isolated acts of deception.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER

The structure of international romance scam rings
How money laundering supports online fraud
Nadine Jazimne Wade’s role in moving stolen funds
The use of shell companies and bank accounts
Federal charges and sentencing
Why this case stands out in romance fraud prosecutions

ICED COFFEE OF THE EPISODE

The False Promise Latte
Strong coffee, vanilla syrup, caramel syrup, oat milk, ice, and a pinch of sea salt.

Support & Connect with BC³:

Instagram, FB & TikTok: @blackcoffeecrimecrochet
Patreon: JOIN HERE
Facebook Discussion Group: Black Coffee, Crime & Crochet
YouTube: WATCH HERE

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Ratings and reviews help the show reach new listeners and make it easier for people to find thoughtful, well researched content like this.

Sources:

• U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of New York – Press Release: Bronx Woman Sentenced To 63 Months In Prison For Laundering Over $2 Million For African Romance Scammers (May 28, 2025)
• U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of New York – Press Release: 6 Defendants Charged With Laundering Millions Of Dollars In Proceeds Derived From Romance Scams (June 2, 2021)
• Audacy/1010 WINS News – Bronx woman guilty in $2M fake romance scheme, used 'Francisco' alias to scam elderly (2025)
• Inner City Press – After Romance Scam Guilty Verdict in SDNY… (Trial coverage by Matthew Russell Lee, Dec 2023)
• The Federal Newswire – Bronx woman sentenced for laundering over $2 million in romance scam (May 28, 2025)