Taiwo Popoola
The newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Franklin Okechukwu Nwadialo, has been arrested by the FBI upon his arrival in Texas over an alleged $3.3 million romance scam.
According to documents from the FBI circulated on social media, the charges, announced by U.S. Attorney Gorman, allege that Nwadialo orchestrated a romance scam targeting U.S. victims, defrauding them of over $3.3 million in total.
According to the indictment, Nwadialo allegedly created multiple online personas, using them to fabricate personal crises and solicit financial assistance from unsuspecting victims.
Gorman detailed several examples, stating that in 2020, Nwadialo claimed to be a military officer who had been fined $150,000 for revealing his location to one victim. Under this pretence, he convinced the victim to assist him in paying off the “fine,” ultimately defrauding the individual of approximately $2.4 million.
In another instance, Nwadialo allegedly convinced a second victim in 2019 to help him move funds from U.S. bank accounts to accounts controlled by himself and his co-schemers, claiming that the transfer was necessary due to his father’s passing. This individual reportedly transferred at least $330,000.
A third victim, believing that she was investing through Nwadialo, transferred $270,000 into a cryptocurrency account he controlled. Nwadialo is said to have manipulated this victim by convincing her that a check she had received from another individual represented profits from her investments. At his urging, she reinvested the funds into his account, unaware of the fraudulent scheme.
In August 2020, Nwadialo allegedly targeted a fourth victim he had met on an online dating platform. He reportedly fabricated stories about family emergencies, including his father’s funeral expenses and his son’s school tuition, prompting the victim to send him at least $310,000.
The indictment lists fourteen counts of wire fraud related to communications and the wiring of funds from these victims to accounts managed by Nwadialo and his co-schemers. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to twenty years in prison. Gorman emphasized that these charges are only allegations, noting that Nwadialo is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The FBI, which has been investigating the case, arrested Nwadialo upon his arrival in the United States. Assistant United States, Attorney Sok Jiang is leading the prosecution.
The arrest has sparked significant concern in Anambra State, where Nwadialo’s recent election as Ogbaru LGA chairman had inspired optimism about new leadership.
Local government officials and community members have expressed shock and disappointment, worried about the negative impact this high-profile arrest may have on the reputation of the area.
As the investigation unfolds, officials encourage individuals to be vigilant against potential scams and remain cautious when approached for financial assistance online.
