Nigerian man bags 19 years in US over $4m romance scam

A 40-year-old Nigerian national, Leslie Chinedu Mba, has been sentenced to 228 months (19 years) in prison by a United States district court for his role in a large-scale romance scam and business email compromise scheme.

The sentence was handed down by Judge David Hittner after Mba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to make false statements in immigration documents.

In a statement, the United States Department of Justice disclosed that Mba and his co-conspirators carried out romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) operations between April 2018 and December 2023, targeting unsuspecting victims.

How the Scheme Worked

According to prosecutors, the fraud operations originated outside the United States. The syndicate allegedly gained unauthorised access to business email accounts and redirected legitimate payments into fraudulent bank accounts under their control.

Victims, believing they were transferring funds to genuine business partners, instead had their money funneled to accounts operated by Mba and his associates.

The Department of Justice described Mba and others as “money mules” who opened or used existing bank accounts to collect and transfer proceeds of the fraud.

Immigration Fraud Allegations

Beyond the financial crimes, prosecutors said Mba attempted to secure US permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial immigration application was denied and he was ordered removed from the country.

Authorities estimated that the combined fraud schemes resulted in losses totalling approximately $4 million.

Co-Conspirators Also Sentenced

Four Houston residents previously pleaded guilty in connection with the case. Grace Morisho, Rodgers Kadikilo, and Kristin Smith received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 25 months, while Alexandra Golovko was sentenced to five years’ probation.

Mba is expected to face removal proceedings after completing his prison term.

The case adds to growing international efforts by US authorities to clamp down on transnational cyber fraud networks, particularly romance scams and business email compromise schemes that continue to cost victims millions of dollars annually.

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