http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...7/ai_n15809861
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories...4760.001.shtml
It looks like the idea is to turn you into a cheque depositing mule, one step removed from the scammer.
They might even change their story halfway through the process, and get you to cash the cheques in your account and 'advance' the money through to accounts controlled by them. The cheques will clear, you will wire through the money, then the bank will call a week or so later saying the checks were fraudulent and the money is then removed from your account. Net result: you end up giving them twenty grand of your own money.
Anyway there are loads of ways to run an internet cheque scam. I'd say they are only slightly less prevalent than online credit card scams.
You seem to be almost the perfect mark for these people. In future, don't even bother having a conversation with them.