Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested at a Texas airport following his indictment in the Western District of Washington. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Nwadialo is facing 14 counts of wire fraud in connection with a romance scam scheme.
The indictment, issued in December 2023, outlines how Nwadialo orchestrated elaborate scams using multiple fake identities, primarily under the name “Giovanni,” on dating sites like Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. He used fake profile photos and claimed to be deployed in the military, making excuses to avoid meeting his victims in person.
U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman highlighted the challenges of prosecuting romance scam perpetrators, who are often outside the reach of U.S. law enforcement. She commended the investigators for their work in arresting Nwadialo upon his arrival from Nigeria.
One of the most egregious scams took place in 2020, when Nwadialo claimed he was fined $150,000 by the military for disclosing his location. He convinced a victim to help pay the fine, ultimately defrauding her of at least $2.4 million.
In 2019, he targeted another victim, claiming he needed help transferring funds related to his father’s death. This victim transferred at least $330,000 to accounts controlled by Nwadialo and his associates.
Another scam involved a victim who believed she was investing in cryptocurrency under Nwadialo’s guidance. Using money from another victim, Nwadialo had her reinvest $270,000 into a cryptocurrency account he controlled.
In August 2020, a fourth victim sent at least $310,000 to Nwadialo after he claimed financial hardship, citing his father’s funeral expenses and his son’s tuition.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that, in total, Nwadialo defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million. If convicted, he faces severe legal consequences for his actions.