UNITED STATES — A Nigerian national, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, 40, has pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges connected to a romance scam that defrauded U.S. citizens out of more than $400,000, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Operating under the alias “Larry Pham,” Inweregbu and his accomplices used fake online dating and social media profiles to target middle-aged American women between July 2017 and December 2018. By fostering emotional connections, the scammers convinced victims to send money to various U.S.-based bank accounts controlled by the fraud ring.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the scheme resulted in over $405,000 in actual and intended financial losses. Inweregbu participated in conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering, using the funds sent by victims to conceal the criminal origins of the money.
Inweregbu faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and fines of up to $500,000 for the money laundering charges alone. His sentencing is scheduled for December 4, before U.S. District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the joint investigation by the FBI, the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Department of State.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is leading the prosecution.
The case highlights the ongoing risks of romance fraud and the critical importance of awareness in the digital dating landscape.
