Nigerian Sentenced to 19 Years in U.S. for $4 Million Romance Scam

Leslie Chinedu Mba, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen, has received a sentence of 228 months, equivalent to 19 years, in a federal prison in the United States for his participation in a scheme involving a romance scam and business email compromise that resulted in $4 million in fraud.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner issued the sentence after Mba admitted guilt to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to submit false information on immigration applications.

The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed that Mba, along with his associates, executed the fraudulent activities between April 2018 and December 2023.

According to officials, Mba and the other individuals involved targeted unsuspecting victims through romance scams and business email fraud. The perpetrators began their schemes outside the United States, where they unlawfully accessed business email accounts to redirect payments to accounts they controlled.

Victims were misled into believing they were transferring funds to legitimate businesses. However, the investigation revealed that Mba and his accomplices diverted the money to their own accounts.

The Justice Department also noted that Mba acted as a money mule, facilitating the collection and transfer of the money obtained from these fraudulent acts using bank accounts.

Additionally, he attempted to acquire U.S. permanent residency through illicit methods, including multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial residency application was rejected, which led to his deportation order from the U.S.

The fraudulent operations resulted in substantial losses totaling around $4 million. Following the completion of his prison sentence, Mba is set to face deportation proceedings.

Moreover, four residents from Houston have previously pleaded guilty in relation to this case. Grace Morisho, Rodgers Kadikilo, and Kristin Smith received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 25 months, while Alexandra Golovko was given a five-year probation sentence.