The US government has detailed how Franklin Nwadialo, the newly elected chairperson of Ogbaru Local Government Area, allegedly defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million in a romance scam.
Ogbaru is a local government area in Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.
Nwadialo, 40, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on his arrival at an airport in Texas on 2 November.
Many of the victims, according to a court document, were older, often divorced or widowed women from the US.
The Nigerian politician has been transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Sok Jiang.
Nwadialo was indicted in December 2023 on 14 counts of wire fraud related to his romance fraud scheme.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in the US.
Strategies allegedly used by Nwadialo
The US Department of Justice narrated in a statement on 5 November the strategies allegedly used by Mr Nwadialo in defrauding the victims.
Dating sites and false romance
According to the court document, Mr Nwadialo had some yet-to-be-identified accomplices called “co-schemers” who assisted him in defrauding victims.
The Nigerian, according to the court document, usually used the co-schemers to send messages to the victims via dating sites and other electronic means of communication such as WhatsApp and emails.
The co-schemers would deceive the victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship with them using fake identities – like falsely posing as individuals living in the US to gain the victims’ confidence and trust.
“Once the co-schemers used the fake identities to fraudulently gain the trust of the victims, they convinced the victims, under false pretences, to transfer fiat and virtual currency into 13 accounts controlled by the co-schemers, including Nwadialo,” the court document said.
Versions of names and websites
According to the indictment and criminal complaint filed in the case, Mr Nwadialo also allegedly used various versions of the name “Giovanni” when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café.
The court document said Mr Nwadialo, at different times, allegedly used various names such as “Giovanni,” “Antoni Giovanni,” and “David Giovanni,” to defraud the victims.
Use of false images on his profile
The US department said the politician 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,” it said.
Financial assistance for father’s death, others
In another instance, the US Department of Justice said Mr Nwadialo, based on the pretext of being in a romantic relationship with his victims, often successfully appealed to his victims to assist him financially.
The Nigerian politician, according to the indictment filed against him, usually claimed that the financial assistance was needed for his father’s funeral expenses and, at another time, payment of his son’s tuition fees.
The US Department of Justice said that in one instance, a victim was moved to transfer at least $310,000 to an account controlled by Mr Nwadialo.
False investment for victims
Another strategy used by Mr Nwadialo to commit the alleged crime was collecting monies from victims under the pretext of investing them in cryptocurrency accounts which he controlled. The Nigerian allegedly told one of his victims – a woman – that he was investing money for her.
“The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction,” the US Department of Justice stated.
Mr Nwadialo was among the 21 newly elected chairpersons of local government areas in Anambra State in September.
He was sworn in alongside 20 of his colleagues on 4 October.
He is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the ruling party in Anambra State.
His arrest in the US occurred exactly one month after he was sworn in as chairperson of Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
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