Franklin Nwadialo, recently elected chairman of Ogbaru County in Anambra, Nigeria, was arrested by the FBI upon arrival in Texas, facing allegations of a $3.3 million romance scam.
The 40-year-old official is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud and, if convicted, could serve up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The indictment states that Nwadialo operated under aliases, including “Giovanni,” on dating platforms such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. “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 the victims in person,” the Department of Justice stated.
Among the alleged scams, one victim reportedly sent over $2.4 million after Nwadialo claimed he was fined by the military. Other victims were defrauded by requests for funds to assist with family needs, investments, and funeral costs. One victim transferred $270,000, believing it was for cryptocurrency investments.
Nwadialo will be arraigned in the Western District of Washington. Prosecutor Sok Jiang is handling the case.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
