Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, recently elected as the chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria, has been arrested by U.S. authorities upon landing at a Texas airport. The charges against him involve his alleged participation in a multi-million-dollar romance scam scheme that reportedly victimized numerous individuals across the United States.
Nwadialo’s arrest follows an extensive investigation into his alleged involvement in orchestrating a romance scam network that reportedly defrauded victims out of substantial sums of money, with authorities suggesting he may have utilized several social media and dating platforms to facilitate these deceptions.
The 40-year-old local government chairman was indicted last December by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington on 14 counts of wire fraud. The indictment accuses Nwadialo of devising a fraudulent scheme that exploited online dating sites and social media platforms to develop romantic connections with victims, ultimately deceiving them out of over $3.3 million.
According to U.S. law enforcement, Nwadialo frequently operated under the alias “Giovanni” on dating sites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café, where he portrayed himself as a member of the U.S. military deployed overseas, often claiming to be in remote locations to avoid in-person meetings with his victims.
The scheme reportedly involved convincing victims that he needed their financial assistance for various fabricated reasons. U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman explained that Nwadialo’s tactics included requests for funds to cover purported military-related fines, claims of personal emergencies, and appeals for investments in fictitious ventures.
In one instance, a victim transferred $500,000 after Nwadialo allegedly informed her of a significant military fine he was facing, while another victim sent $330,000 based on a fabricated story involving his deceased father's estate.
Additional victims were reportedly persuaded to invest in cryptocurrency accounts controlled by Nwadialo or to assist with various fabricated family emergencies. Some victims were convinced to pay for his supposed son’s school tuition, while others were led to believe they were covering the expenses for his father’s funeral.
In her statement, U.S. Attorney Gorman commended law enforcement officials for their diligent work in tracking down and apprehending Nwadialo, noting that international scam cases are particularly challenging to prosecute due to the global reach and cross-border complications. “These defendants are often overseas and beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement,” she remarked, describing Nwadialo’s capture as a noteworthy accomplishment.
Nwadialo will now be arraigned in Washington State, where he faces multiple charges with a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is actively involved in this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Jiang has been assigned to lead the prosecution.
In her closing statement, Gorman emphasized the presumption of innocence granted to every defendant under U.S. law, saying, “The charges are allegations, and under U.S. law, every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”