By Paul Joseph
Leslie Chinedu Mba, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen, has been sentenced to 19 years in a federal prison in the United States for his involvement in a $4 million romance scam and a business email compromise scheme.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner imposed a 228-month sentence after Mba pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to wire fraud and making false statements in immigration documents.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that Mba and his accomplices executed fraudulent schemes from April 2018 to December 2023.
According to the department, “Mba and others conducted business email compromise and romance scams aimed at unsuspecting victims.”
Prosecutors noted that the schemes were initiated outside the U.S., where the group gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts controlled by them.
“The victims thought they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but Mba and his co-conspirators diverted the funds to accounts they managed,” the statement explained.
The Justice Department indicated that Mba and his associates acted as money mules by opening new bank accounts or utilizing existing ones to collect and transfer the proceeds of the fraud.
Authorities also revealed that Mba attempted to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. through fraudulent methods.
“Furthermore, Mba sought U.S. permanent residency through multiple sham marriages after his initial application was rejected and he was ordered to leave the country,” the department added.
Prosecutors stated that the scheme caused victims to suffer losses totaling around $4 million.
After serving his prison sentence, Mba is expected to face deportation proceedings.
Four residents of Houston had previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Grace Morisho, Rodgers Kadikilo, and Kristin Smith received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 25 months, while Alexandra Golovko was sentenced to five years of probation.
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