FBI Arrests Anambra Local Government Chairman in $3.3 Million Romance Scam

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria, has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at an airport in Texas, United States. Nwadialo, 40, faces serious accusations tied to a $3.3 million romance scam that allegedly involved manipulating multiple victims through online dating platforms.

The United States Department of Justice released a statement detailing Nwadialo’s alleged crimes, which include 14 counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Nwadialo could face up to 20 years in prison. “Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni’ when meeting his victims online,” the statement read. “He primarily targeted websites like Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café, posing as a military officer deployed overseas to explain why he could not meet the victims in person.”

The indictment claims Nwadialo relied on false images and crafted elaborate stories to defraud individuals of large sums of money. In one case from 2020, he reportedly told a victim that he had been fined $150,000 by the military for revealing his location, convincing her to cover the supposed penalty. This single victim lost at least $2.4 million. “He created elaborate lies to gain trust and manipulate his victims into transferring funds,” the Department of Justice highlighted.

In another instance in 2019, Nwadialo reportedly convinced a different victim to help move funds from U.S. accounts to accounts controlled by him and his accomplices. He claimed the transfers were related to his father’s death, leading the victim to transfer at least $330,000.

The Department of Justice also outlined a third case where Nwadialo claimed to be managing investments for a victim. He allegedly used funds sent from another individual, presenting them as profits and persuading the victim to reinvest in a cryptocurrency account he controlled. This scam resulted in a loss of $270,000 for the victim.

Nwadialo’s schemes reportedly continued in August 2020, when he met another victim online and requested financial help for his father’s funeral expenses and his son’s tuition. This victim was defrauded of $310,000.

“The 14 counts of wire fraud relate to communications between Nwadialo and the victims, as well as the wiring of funds to the defendant and his co-schemers,” the statement concluded.

Authorities have announced that Nwadialo will be transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment. The news has shocked many in Anambra State, given his status as a newly elected public official. The charges underscore a broader effort by U.S. authorities to crack down on online fraud targeting vulnerable individuals through dating sites.