Nigeria's Franklin Nwadialo Arrested in Texas for $3.3M Online Fraud

From Nigeria to Texas: LG Chairman's Shocking Arrest for Romance Scam

“The 14 counts of wire fraud relate to communications with Nwadialo and the transfer of funds from victims to...”

Anambra LG Chairman Franklin Nwadialo arrested in Texas for $3.3M romance scam, faces 20-year sentence.

Franklin Nwadialo, the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, has found himself in hot water. The 40-year-old was arrested in Texas, United States, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly running a $3.3 million romance scam. This shocking turn of events was announced by the US Department of Justice.

According to reports, Nwadialo used false images on his profile to deceive vulnerable women, swindling them out of their hard-earned cash. The scope of his alleged scam is staggering, with 14 counts leveled against him. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison. The DOJ has stated that Nwadialo will be transferred to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.

This news raises questions about Nwadialo's leadership and the impact of his alleged actions on the community he was elected to serve. Ogbaru Local Government Area has been in the news recently, with the Anambra State Government setting up a panel of inquiry to investigate a lingering crisis in Ogwuaniocha community. The community has been urged to maintain peace and avoid provocative actions.

Nwadialo's arrest is not the only recent controversy involving local government chairmen in Anambra State. In May 2024, Governor Chukwuma Soludo sacked the chairmen of the 21 Local Government Areas, directing them to hand over affairs to the Head of Local Government Administration.

“According to the indictment, Nwadialo used various versions of the name 'Giovanni' when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café,” the statement by the FBI read.

“Nwadialo used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas, so he could not meet them in person.

“Using these personas, Nwadialo invented many reasons for needing the victims to send him money.

“In one such case in 2020, he claimed he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim. He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million.”

In 2019, the defendant allegedly reached out to a second victim with a false narrative, seeking assistance in transferring funds from US-based accounts to accounts under his and his accomplices' control. This was just one part of a larger scheme to defraud victims of millions of dollars.

According to the US Department of Justice, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo used various tactics to scam victims, including posing as a military personnel and claiming he needed help moving money due to his father's death. The victim ultimately transferred at least $330,000 to accounts controlled by Nwadialo and his co-conspirators.

The statement added, “In this instance, Nwadialo claimed he needed help moving money in connection with his father's death. The victim transferred at least $330,000 to accounts controlled by the defendant.

“A third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money on her behalf.

“He claimed that a cheque she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments, and he persuaded her to 'reinvest' the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo's direction.

“Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim whom he met on an online dating site, causing her to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father's funeral or his son's school tuition.

“The 14 counts of wire fraud relate to communications with Nwadialo and the transfer of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-conspirators.”

Assistant United States Attorney Sok Jiang will prosecute the $3.3M romance scam case against Franklin Nwadialo.