A Nigerian romance scammer has been sentenced to five years in a US prison after defrauding victims of more than $3.5 million through a long-running online fraud scheme.
A Nigerian national, Franklin Nwadialo, has been sentenced to five years in a United States prison for masterminding a long-running Nigerian romance scam that defrauded victims of more than $3.5 million through fake online relationships.
Nwadialo, 42, was sentenced on Tuesday by the US District Court in Tacoma, Washington, after being convicted on 14 counts of wire fraud. The sentencing was announced by US authorities in a statement later shared on the official X account of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to prosecutors, Nwadialo orchestrated the fraud for more than 15 years, targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly, widowed and divorced people searching for companionship online. He was arrested in Texas in 2024 after arriving in the United States, following his indictment in December 2023.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Tiffany Cartwright described the offences as having consequences far beyond financial losses.
“It is not an exaggeration to say it ruined lives, not only financial lives,” the judge said, noting that many victims suffered shame, depression and social isolation after discovering they had been deceived.
How the romance scam operated
Court documents showed that Nwadialo created fake identities on dating websites, including Match, Zoosk and Christian Café, using stolen photographs and fabricated personal information. Under online aliases such as “Giovanni,” he allegedly posed as a military officer deployed overseas to gain the trust of victims.
Once relationships had been established, prosecutors said he fabricated emergencies and financial problems to persuade victims to send money. In one case, he claimed he had been fined $150,000 by the military for revealing his location and needed financial assistance.
Authorities said he also used several other false stories, including requests for funeral expenses for his father, school fees for his son, and money tied to a supposed inheritance from a deceased family member.
Victims lost homes, savings
Federal prosecutors said the fraud left some victims financially devastated.
One victim reportedly maintained an online relationship with Nwadialo’s fictitious identity for three years before learning the truth during an FBI investigation. Another victim, a widow seeking companionship after her husband’s death, reportedly lost her home and life savings after selling assets to support the man she believed she was helping.
First Assistant US Attorney Charles Floyd said the defendant deliberately targeted people experiencing emotional vulnerability.
“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. He spun tale after tale to gain the victims’ trust and their money, even claiming to run a non-profit providing services for autistic children.”
Echoing those concerns, FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge Mike Harrington said the fraudster exploited victims’ search for genuine relationships.
“For years, Mr. Nwadialo preyed on vulnerable victims looking for relationships online, gained their trust and told them lies to steal their life savings totalling millions of dollars.”
The investigation was led by the FBI, while Assistant US Attorneys Sok Jiang and David Martin prosecuted the case.
The sentencing comes amid increased scrutiny of Nigerians facing criminal proceedings in the United States. Earlier this week, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disclosed plans to deport another Nigerian, Ayodeji Ajayi, over alleged visa violations and multiple criminal convictions, including domestic violence, trespassing, intimidation and obstruction.
According to ICE, Ajayi entered the United States on a student visa in 2007 but remained in the country after leaving school. His planned deportation forms part of broader immigration enforcement measures targeting undocumented migrants and foreign nationals with criminal records.
