A Ghanaian citizen residing in Greenwich, Dickson Alorwornu, also known as “Dixon Al,” has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for his involvement in a tuition refund scheme at the University of Connecticut (UConn). The sentencing was announced by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to evidence presented at trial, Alorwornu used stolen identities in December 2017 to submit two non-degree student applications to UConn. He funded these accounts with more than $62,000 using credit card information taken from three victims. In early 2018, after withdrawing from the courses, he requested refunds from UConn. The university transferred about $46,000 to bank accounts under Alorwornu’s control.
Investigators determined that email accounts linked to Alorwornu were also involved in schemes targeting other universities, resulting in over $500,000 in losses.
Alorwornu was arrested on February 1, 2023. On October 29, 2024, a jury found him guilty of two counts of wire fraud. His criminal record includes a previous conviction in New York in 2017 related to using stolen credit cards and personal identifying information.
Alorwornu is currently released on a $50,000 bond and must report to prison on April 20. Following his imprisonment, he will serve two years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the UConn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Chang and Elena Coronado prosecuted the case.
“This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the UConn Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Chang and Elena Coronado.”