Franklin Nwadialo, the chairperson of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria, has been sentenced to five years in prison in the United States for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded victims of more than $3.5 million. The sentence was handed down late Monday in the US District Court in Tacoma, Washington.
Details of the Sentencing
The US Department of Justice announced the sentencing on Tuesday, with First Assistant US Attorney Charles Neil Floyd stating that US District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright described the crime as 'devastating,' noting that it ruined lives, caused monetary harm, and forced victims to endure non-monetary harms such as 'shame, depression, and isolation from their own family.'
Prosecutors requested a five-year sentence, arguing that Nwadialo's 'offence was extremely serious and caused significant harm.' They highlighted that for over 15 years, Nwadialo and his confederates 'manipulated older, often widowed or divorced, individuals with savings into believing they had serious romantic partners for their own financial benefit.'
How the Scam Operated
According to court documents, Nwadialo used various versions of the name 'Giovanni' on dating websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. He employed false profile images and typically claimed to be in the military deployed overseas, preventing in-person meetings. He invented numerous reasons for victims to send him money.
In one case in 2020, he claimed the military had fined him $150,000 for revealing his location to a victim, asking her to help pay the fine. That victim alone lost at least $2.4 million. Another victim was contacted in 2019 to help move funds from US accounts to accounts controlled by Nwadialo, transferring at least $330,000 under the guise of needing help after his father's death.
A third victim was defrauded when Nwadialo claimed he was investing money for her, leading her to transfer at least $270,000 into a cryptocurrency account he controlled. A fourth victim, met on an online dating site in August 2020, transferred at least $310,000 for claimed financial needs, including funeral expenses and school tuition.
Arrest and Indictment
Nwadialo was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) upon arrival at a Texas airport on 2 November 2024, exactly one month after being sworn in as chairperson of Ogbaru LGA. He had been indicted in December 2023 on 14 counts of wire fraud related to the romance scam.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorneys Sok Jiang and David T. Martin.
Political Background
Nwadialo was among 21 local government council chairpersons elected in Anambra State in September 2024, belonging to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in the state. He was sworn in on 4 October 2024.
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES after his arrest, Anambra State Commissioner for Information Law Mefor stated that the state government was not concerned, citing the autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.
