Newly sworn-in local government chairman arrested in America over $3.3 million romance scam
The newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, Franklin Nwadialo, has been arrested in the United States of America (USA) exactly one month after he was sworn in as chairman of a local government council in Nigeria.
Penpushing reports that the 40-year-old politician was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on his arrival at an airport in Texas on Saturday, having been accused of engaging in a romance scam.
The United States of America (USA) Department of Justice said in a statement on Tuesday explained that Nwadialo was indicted in a criminal complaint filed in the case having allegedly defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million in the alleged romance scam.
Penpushing further reports that United States of America (USA) Department of Justice in the statement said the Nigerian politician is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Sok Jiang and will be transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.
The details of alleged fraud, a copy of a court document claimed Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni’ when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café, and equally alleged that he 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.
“Using these personas, Nwadialo invented many reasons he needed the victims to send him money. In one such case in 2020, he indicated he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim. He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million’
Penpushing also reports that in similar instance, the America Department of Justice said another victim was contacted in 2019 to help move funds from US accounts to accounts controlled by Nwadialo and his co-schemers.
The statement emphasized that the suspect claimed that he needed help to move the money in connection with his father’s death, adding that the victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by Nwadialo
Penpushing reports that the United States of America Department of Justice similarly said a third victim was allegedly defrauded by Nwadialo when he told the victim that he was investing money for her, stressing that he further claimed that a check the victim received from another victim was proceeds from her investments, and he had her reinvest the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled.
“Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition. The victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by the defendant (Nwadialo), The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction,” the justice department said.
Penpushing further reports that the statement disclosed that Nwadialo was earlier indicted in December 2023 on 14 counts of wire fraud connected to his romance fraud scheme, and on his latest arrest he was picked upon arrival in Texas from Nigeria at the America airport.
Meanwhile, Nwadialo, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)was among the 21 newly elected chairmen of local government councils in Anambra State in September, sworn in alongside 20 of his colleagues on October 4, 2024, but if convicted he could spend up to 20 years in prison in America.
FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email [email protected]
