Anambra LG Chairman Jailed Five Years Over $3.5m Romance Scam
A 42-year-old Nigerian, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, who serves as Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, has been sentenced to five years in a U.S. federal prison for masterminding an online romance scam that swindled victims out of more than $3.5 million.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright delivered the sentence on Monday in Tacoma, Washington, describing the fraud as “devastating.”
The judge said the scheme not only resulted in major financial losses but also caused significant emotional trauma to victims, including “shame, depression, and isolation from their own family.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said, “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. He spun tale after tale to gain the victims’ trust and their money – even claiming to run a non-profit providing services for autistic children. No scheme was too low for these conspirators.”
Also commenting on the case, FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Harrington stated: “For years, Mr. Nwadialo preyed on vulnerable victims looking for relationships online, gained their trust, and told them lies to steal their life savings totalling millions of dollars.”
Prosecutors urged the court to impose a five-year prison term, arguing that “Nwadialo’s offense was extremely serious and caused significant harm.” They said he and his associates spent more than 15 years deceiving mostly older, widowed, or divorced individuals into believing they were involved in genuine romantic relationships for financial gain.
One victim reportedly maintained a three-year online “relationship” with Nwadialo’s fake identity before discovering the truth through the FBI. Another victim, a widow seeking companionship after her husband’s death, lost both her home and life savings and continues to face financial hardship after liquidating assets to support the fictitious “Giovanni.”
Investigators revealed that Nwadialo operated fake profiles on dating platforms including Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café, frequently posing as a military officer named “Giovanni.” He allegedly fabricated emergencies such as military penalties, funeral expenses, and investment opportunities to obtain money from victims.
Nwadialo was arrested at a Texas airport in 2024 after arriving in the United States and was subsequently charged with 14 counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sok Tea Jiang and David T. Martin handled the prosecution.
