Nigerian jailed five years in US over $3.5m romance scam

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A Nigerian man, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, has been sentenced to five years in prison in the United States for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded multiple victims of more than $3.5 million.

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According to a statement released on Tuesday by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, 42-year-old Nwadialo, was sentenced by a U.S. District Court in Tacoma after being convicted in connection with a long-running online fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable individuals through dating websites.

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The statement said Nwadialo was arrested at an airport in Texas upon arriving in the United States in 2024 and was later indicted on 14 counts of wire fraud linked to the scheme.

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At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright said the offence had devastating consequences for the victims, extending beyond financial losses to emotional and psychological harm.

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The judge described the crime as “devastating,” noting that it was “not an exaggeration to say it ruined lives not only financial lives” but also caused victims “shame, depression, and isolation from their own family.”

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Nwadialo spent about 15 years deceiving victims by creating fake online identities and posing as a romantic partner. Prosecutors said he frequently targeted older individuals, particularly widows and divorcees, and manipulated them into sending money under various false pretences.

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Commenting on the sentence, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said the defendant exploited people who were already dealing with grief and emotional hardship.

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“This defendant preyed on those already suffering from the loss of loved ones or other heartbreak. For some 15 years he upended the lives of people he never met,” Floyd said.

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According to court records cited in the statement, Nwadialo used different variations of the name “Giovanni” on dating platforms including Match, Zoosk and Christian Café. He allegedly used stolen images and false personal information, often claiming to be a military officer deployed overseas to explain why he could not meet victims face-to-face.

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Investigators said he employed a range of fabricated stories to obtain money from victims. In one instance, he reportedly claimed he had been fined $150,000 by the military for revealing his location and sought financial assistance to pay the penalty. In other cases, he told victims he needed money related to his father’s death, funeral expenses, his son’s school fees, or investment opportunities.

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The FBI said the defendant systematically built trust with victims before exploiting them financially.

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“For years, Mr. Nwadialo preyed on vulnerable victims looking for relationships online, gained their trust, and told them lies to steal their life savings totaling millions of dollars,” said W. Mike Harrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office.

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Prosecutors told the court that the scheme left lasting financial and emotional damage. According to the statement, one victim remained in what she believed was a genuine relationship with Nwadialo’s online persona for three years before learning the truth through an FBI investigation.

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Another victim, a widow, reportedly lost her home and life savings after liquidating assets to send money to the scammer, and continues to face financial difficulties arising from the losses.

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The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sok Tea Jiang and David T. Martin.

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