A Nigerian politician, Nwadialo, recently elected as chairman of Ogbaru Local Government, has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States. The arrest comes after Nwadialo traveled to the US, reportedly to rest following his election victory.
According to the US Department of Justice, Nwadialo is accused of defrauding women of over $3.5 million through online dating scams. US Attorney, Gorman, stated, “Using various personas, Nwadialo invented numerous reasons to solicit funds from victims.” These personas allegedly included posing as a US military officer.
The indictment alleges that Nwadialo employed various tactics to deceive his victims. In one instance, he claimed to have been fined $150,000 by the military for revealing his location to one of the victims. He then requested the victim’s assistance in paying the fine, resulting in the victim being defrauded of at least $2.4 million.
– $2.4 million transferred by one victim to assist with the alleged military fine
– $330,000 transferred by another victim to aid with inheritance issues
– $270,000 transferred by a third victim under false investment pretenses
– $310,000 transferred by a fourth victim for various expenses, including funeral and tuition costs
Nwadialo faces 14 counts of wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. US Attorney Gorman emphasised, “The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
The FBI is investigating the case, with Assistant United States Attorney Sok Jiang prosecuting. The indictment was filed in December last year.
Nwadialo’s arrest serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in online interactions and the severity of consequences for those engaging in fraudulent activities.