Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, has been sentenced to five years in prison in the United States for his role in a romance scam that took about $3.5 million from victims.
A federal court in Tacoma, Washington, gave the ruling after finding that Nwadialo defrauded eight people over a long-running online scheme that lasted around 15 years.
The court said the actions caused serious financial loss and also left victims dealing with emotional pain, shame, and broken relationships.
Court records show that Nwadialo was indicted in December 2023 on 14 counts of wire fraud.
He was later arrested by the FBI at an airport in Texas in 2024 when he entered the United States, months after he had been elected as local government chairman in Nigeria on September 28.
Investigators said he built fake identities online and used romantic relationships to gain trust from victims before taking their money.
He also reportedly presented himself as someone running a charity focused on helping children with autism as part of his cover story.
U.S. authorities said the case involved victims who were already emotionally vulnerable, and that he took advantage of their situations to steal their life savings.
Law enforcement officials also noted that his travel into the United States made it possible for him to be arrested and prosecuted.
The court described the offence as one that left lasting damage beyond money, affecting the personal lives and wellbeing of those involved.
