A 40-year-old Nigerian national, Leslie Chinedu Mba, has been sentenced to 19 years in a United States federal prison for orchestrating a $4 million romance and business email compromise scam that targeted elderly citizens and small businesses.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has sentenced 40-year-old Leslie Chinedu Mba to 19 years (228 months) in federal prison for his leadership role in a transnational fraud syndicate that defrauded victims of over $4 million. Mba, a Nigerian citizen who had been illegally residing in Houston, pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents. Federal prosecutors revealed that between 2018 and 2023, Mba and his co-conspirators operated business email compromise (BEC) schemes and romance scams, acting as money mules to funnel illicit proceeds through a network of fraudulent bank accounts.
The court heard that the criminal operation disproportionately targeted vulnerable populations, including senior citizens looking for companionship and family-run businesses whose livelihoods were jeopardized by redirected payments. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei condemned the nature of the crimes, noting that Mba also attempted to evade legal oversight by seeking permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages. “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. He added: “Even worse, Mba and his confederates committed these crimes while attempting to remain in our country under false pretenses by deceiving immigration authorities. Now, Mba has prison to look forward to, followed by a one-way ticket back to Nigeria.”
Mba’s sentencing marks the final resolution for a group of five co-conspirators who have all now been convicted for their parts in the multi-million dollar scheme. While his accomplices received lighter sentences ranging from probation to 25 months, Mba received the most severe penalty due to the scale of the financial devastation caused. FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson remarked that the syndicate’s “weaponization of romance scams” left a wake of emotional and financial misery behind. Following the completion of his 19-year term, Mba is expected to be immediately handed over to immigration authorities for formal removal proceedings to Nigeria.
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