Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, 40, was arrested in Houston, United States, for a $3.3 million romance scam targeting victims on dating sites The FBI detained Nwadialo, who has been identified as the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru LGA in Anambra state, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Posing as “Tony Giovanni,” he allegedly tricked victims with fake military and family crises, prompting them to send money Do not miss an opportunity to join FREE webinar by Legit.ng. AI in Action: Practical Skills for Creative Professionals. Register here! Houston, United States - Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, identified as the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru LGA in Anambra state, Nigeria, was arrested in Houston, the United States, in connection with a $3.3 million romance scam, according to federal authorities.
According to a statement by the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington, Nwadialo, who was travelling from Nigeria, was taken into custody at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston after arriving in the US. He was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (agents FBI) and is set to be arraigned in the Western District of Washington.
Nwadialo was accused of using fake images to lure victims into a false sense of trust. According to the indictment, he told victims that he was serving in the military and was stationed overseas, explaining why they could not meet in person.
Operating under various aliases, including "Tony Giovanni" and "David Giovanni," he built relationships with his targets before making financial demands. The indictment outlines a series of fabricated stories that Nwadialo used to manipulate his victims. One victim was allegedly told that Nwadialo faced a $150,000 fine after revealing his location while stationed overseas. Another victim was led to believe that Nwadialo needed financial assistance after the death of his father, resulting in a transfer of at least $330,000 to Nwadialo's accounts.
