US Jails Anambra Local Government Chair for Five Years Over $3.5 Million Romance Scam

By Emmanuel Okogba

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 42‑year‑old Nigerian and Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, received a five‑year federal prison sentence for running an online romance scam that stole more than $3.5 million from victims.

U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright delivered the sentence late Monday in Tacoma, Washington, in a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice, calling the offense “devastating.”

The judge emphasized that the scam caused not only substantial financial losses but also deep emotional damage, citing shame, depression, and isolation from family members.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said the defendant targeted individuals already grieving the loss of loved ones or experiencing heartbreak. Over a period of about 15 years, he disrupted the lives of people he never met, fabricating stories to earn their trust and money, even claiming to operate a nonprofit that served autistic children. He added that no scheme was too small for the conspirators.

FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Harrington noted that Mr. Nwadialo had, for years, targeted vulnerable online romance seekers, gained their trust, and lied to steal their life savings, which totaled millions of dollars.

Prosecutors requested a five‑year sentence, stating that Nwadialo’s conduct was extremely serious and caused significant harm. Over more than 15 years, he and his associates exploited older, often widowed or divorced, savers by convincing them they had genuine romantic partners for financial gain. One victim maintained a “relationship” with Nwadialo’s fabricated online persona for three years before the FBI revealed the deception. Another victim, a widow who believed she had found love after her husband’s death, lost her home and life savings and continues to face financial hardship from taxes, fees, and penalties incurred when liquidating her accounts and property to support “Giovanni.” Prosecutors warned that these victims may never fully recover from his actions.

Nwadialo created fake profiles, frequently presenting himself as a military officer named “Giovanni,” on dating platforms like Match, Zoosk,