Anambra LG Boss Jailed in US for $3.5M Romance Scam
A US court has sentenced Franklin Nwadialo, a Nigerian local government chairman, to five years in prison for a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $3.5 million. Operating for 15 years, Nwadialo used fake online identities, often targeting older individuals like widows, to steal their life savings and exploit their emotional hardships. The case highlights the devastating impact of online fraud, investigated by the FBI.
Franklin Nwadialo, who serves as the chairman of the Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria, has been sentenced to five years in a United States prison. The conviction stems from a large-scale romance scam that successfully defrauded multiple victims of over $3.5 million. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright delivered the sentence on Monday at a federal court located in Tacoma, Washington.
Nwadialo, a 42-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested in 2024 at an airport in Texas upon his arrival in the United States. Following his arrest, he was indicted on 14 counts of wire fraud, all connected to the extensive fraudulent scheme he orchestrated. Court records revealed that Nwadialo managed this scam for approximately 15 years, employing various fake identities on popular dating platforms including Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café.
Investigators detailed Nwadialo's methods, noting that he frequently used the pseudonym "Giovanni" and falsely claimed to be a military officer deployed overseas. He crafted elaborate and often heart-wrenching stories to manipulate his victims into sending him money. These fabricated reasons included requests for funds to cover military fines, pay for funeral expenses, settle school fees, or to purportedly invest money on the victims' behalf. Prosecutors indicated that Nwadialo specifically targeted older individuals, many of whom were widows and divorcees, ultimately defrauding at least eight victims of a cumulative sum exceeding $3.5 million.
First Assistant US Attorney Charles Floyd commented on the sentencing, stating that Nwadialo spent years meticulously deceiving people and callously exploiting individuals who were already grappling with grief and emotional hardship. Floyd emphasized, "This defendant preyed on those already suffering from the loss of loved ones or other heartbreak. For some 15 years, he upended the lives of people he never met." FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Harrington further explained that Franklin Nwadialo skillfully gained the trust of his victims online, only to exploit that trust with false narratives to steal their life savings.
The devastating impact of Nwadialo's scam was underscored by court documents. One victim maintained what she believed was a genuine relationship with Nwadialo's fake online identity for three years before the truth was uncovered through an FBI investigation. In another tragic instance, a widow lost her home and entire life savings after sending money to the scammer. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) spearheaded the investigation into this case, with Assistant US Attorneys Sok Tea Jiang and David T. Martin handling the prosecution.