A 40-year-old Nigerian man, Leslie Chinedu Mba, has been sentenced to 19 years in a United States federal prison for orchestrating a romance scam and business email compromise operation that defrauded victims of more than $4 million.
Mba had earlier pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to make false statements in immigration documents.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner delivered the sentence, ordering that Mba serve his prison term in federal custody. Authorities confirmed he is not a U.S. citizen and will face removal proceedings upon completion of his sentence.
Prosecutors told the court that from April 2018 through December 2023, Mba and his accomplices executed romance scams and business email compromise schemes targeting individuals and companies both within the United States and abroad.
According to investigators, the operation often originated overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorised access to legitimate business email accounts.
They then diverted payments meant for genuine businesses into fraudulent bank accounts. Victims, believing they were paying trusted companies or romantic partners, unknowingly transferred funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Authorities said Mba and other conspirators functioned as money mules, opening and managing bank accounts used to receive and transfer the stolen funds.
At sentencing, the court was informed that total losses from the scheme exceeded $4 million.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei condemned the nature of the crimes, particularly their impact on vulnerable victims.
“Romance scams are among the lowest and most despicable forms of fraud because they prey upon the lonely and vulnerable and disproportionately victimise senior citizens,” Ganjei said.
“Even worse, Mba and his confederates committed these crimes while attempting to remain in our country under false pretences by deceiving immigration authorities. Now, Mba has prison to look forward to, followed by a one-way ticket back to Nigeria,” he added.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led the probe alongside the Houston Police Department, said the fraudulent scheme left victims in financial ruin and emotional distress.
“Romance scams cruelly manipulate trust, exploit the fear of loneliness and leave victims both financially devastated and emotionally shattered,” Hudson said, adding that the agency would continue to pursue fraudsters, FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson said.
Investigators also disclosed that after his initial immigration application was denied and he was ordered removed, Mba attempted to secure U.S. permanent residency through multiple sham marriages.
Four other Houston residents, Grace Morisho, 30; Rodgers Kadikilo, 30; Kristin Smith, 38; and Alexandra Golovko, 36, had previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
Morisho, Kadikilo and Smith were sentenced to between 15 and 25 months in prison, while Golovko received a five-year probation term.
Mba will remain in custody until he is transferred to a federal correctional facility designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum.
