Salami jailed four years for $630k diamond mine scam
Salami jailed four years after defrauding three men of over $630,000 with fake diamond promises.
Fatai Salami met his first victim at a prestige car lot in 2017. Salami spun a story about inheriting a diamond mine in Sierra Leone.
Over 15 months, he convinced the businessman to invest, also drawing in the man's elderly father and a family friend. Salami repeatedly made excuses for delays.
He asked for money to register his company, buy equipment, and pay staff, customs and licensing fees. Salami sent photos of supposed diamonds and even sent one victim on a wild goose chase to Dubai to collect gems from a contact who never appeared.
The judge found that Salami showed persistence and callousness, and continues to deny wrongdoing.
- $630,000
- Amount defrauded
- three men
- Victims
- four years
- Sentence
- 15 months
- Duration of scheme
Why it mattersPersonal relationships exploited for fraud; victims suffered devastating financial and emotional harm.
AustraliaVictorian court case involving Australian investors and families defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 39 min ago
