FBI Arrests Anambra Local Government Chairman Over Alleged $3.3m Scam

According to a statement from the FBI, Nwadialo is accused of operating an elaborate fraud scheme, facing a 14-count indictment related to wire fraud.

Awka, Nigeria – Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) in Anambra State, has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on his arrival at an airport in Texas, United States.

The 40-year-old faces allegations linked to a $3.3 million romance scam and could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Nwadialo is accused of operating an elaborate fraud scheme, facing a 14-count indictment related to wire fraud. Authorities say Nwadialo, who used various aliases such as “Giovanni,” targeted victims through popular dating platforms like Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café, where he allegedly misrepresented himself using false images and identities.

The Department of Justice detailed how Nwadialo presented himself as a military officer deployed overseas, a narrative he used to justify his inability to meet victims in person. In one case from 2020, he allegedly claimed he had been fined $150,000 by the military for revealing his location to a victim, convincing the person to send him money. That victim alone reportedly suffered losses of at least $2.4 million.

The indictment highlights other instances of fraud. In 2019, Nwadialo is said to have asked another victim to help move funds from U.S. accounts to those under his and his associates’ control. Posing as someone needing assistance to handle finances after his father’s death, he allegedly obtained $330,000 from the victim.

Another victim, according to the Justice Department, was misled into believing she was investing her money through Nwadialo. He reportedly directed her to reinvest funds in a cryptocurrency account that he managed, resulting in a loss of at least $270,000.

In a separate incident in August 2020, Nwadialo is accused of persuading yet another victim to transfer $310,000. He allegedly fabricated stories, claiming he needed the funds for personal expenses, including his father’s funeral and his son’s school tuition.

The 14 counts of wire fraud against Nwadialo involve allegations of deceitful communications and the transfer of funds from his victims to himself and his co-conspirators. He is expected to be arraigned in the Western District of Washington, as the case unfolds.