A Houston man living in the United States illegally has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for orchestrating a romance scam and business email compromise scheme that defrauded victims of more than $4 million.
Leslie Chinedu Mba, 40, pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to make false statements in immigration documents. A federal judge sentenced him to 228 months in prison.
Prosecutors said that between April 2018 and December 2023, Mba and co-conspirators operating both inside and outside the U.S. carried out online scams targeting individuals and businesses. The schemes often began overseas, where hackers gained unauthorized access to company email accounts and redirected legitimate payments into fraudulent bank accounts.
Victims believed they were paying legitimate vendors or romantic partners, but the funds were instead routed to accounts controlled by Mba and others. Authorities described Mba and his associates as “money mules” who opened or used bank accounts to collect and transfer stolen funds. The operation resulted in more than $4 million in losses.
In addition to the fraud, prosecutors said Mba attempted to secure lawful permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial immigration application was denied and he was ordered removed from the country.
Four Houston-area co-defendants — Grace Morisho, Rodgers Kadikilo, Kristin Smith, and Alexandra Golovko — previously pleaded guilty. Morisho, Kadikilo, and Smith received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 25 months, while Golovko was sentenced to five years of probation.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei condemned the scheme, calling romance scams one of the most despicable forms of fraud because they target vulnerable and elderly victims.
FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson said the exploitation of elderly Americans was especially troubling, noting that romance scams manipulate trust and leave victims financially and emotionally devastated.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Houston Police Department.
Mba, who is not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings after completing his prison sentence. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility.