Anambra Govt Mum as FBI Arrests LG Chairman over Alleged $3.3m Romance Scam

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka 

The newly-elected Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) in Anambra State, Franklin Nwadialo, has been arrested in Texas, United States (US), by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly running a $3.3million romance scam.

The state government has, however, said it would not speak on the development.

The US Department of Justice confirmed the arrest in a statement.

The statement noted that Nwadialo is facing a 14-count charge and risks a 20-year sentence if found guilty.

FBI arrested the 40-year-old chairman on arrival in Texas.

He has been transferred to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.

“According to the indictment, Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni’ when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café,” the statement read.

“Nwadialo 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. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million.”

The US Department of Justice cited another instance where the accused contacted a second victim in 2019 to help move funds from US accounts to accounts controlled by him and his co-schemers.

“In this instance, Nwadialo represented that he needed help moving money in connection with his father’s death. The victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by the defendant,” the FBI stated.

“A third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her.

“He claimed that a check she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments, and he had her “reinvest” the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction.

“Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition.

“The 14 counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers.”

The case is being prosecuted by Sok Jiang, an assistant United States attorney.

Responding to the arrest, the state government said it could not speak or defend the allegations levelled against Nwadialo.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Dr. Law Mefor, who spoke on the development yesterday, said Nwadialo was chosen by his people and the political party to which he belongs.

He added that the accused is not an appointee of Soludo, “therefore, I cannot speak for his conduct.” 

Mefor said: “He was chosen by his people and the political party he belongs to. He’s not an appointee of Soludo, therefore I cannot speak for his conduct.

“Those who elected him should answer such questions whether the offence is true or not because I only speak for the state government and not local government, autonomy has come now.”