A Watertown man was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for defrauding more than $2 million from investors who believed they were financing lucrative sports ventures in Africa, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office said Thursday.
Adrian Kawuba, 34, pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud in December, the attorney’s office said in a statement. He was also sentenced Wednesday to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution of more than $625,000, forfeiture of more than $2.2 million and to pay a special assessment of $400.
“Kawuba told his victims that he would invest their money in short-term financing of youth sports ventures in Africa and elsewhere and that he would personally guarantee their investments,” prosecutors said.
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Instead of investing their funds, Kawuba used the money to pay for luxury goods and to pay purported returns to his investors, prosecutors said. In some instances he repaid a victim’s earlier investment with money they had sent him for a new investment.
“The scheme involved at least 26 fraudulent deals, and involved more than $2.2 million in victim funds, of which Kawuba kept more than $625,000,” prosecutors said.
Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com.