$4m romance scam: Nigerian man bags 19-year jail term in US

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A 40-year-old Nigerian national, Leslie Chinedu Mba, has been sentenced to 19 years in a United States federal prison for his role in a $4 million romance scam and business email compromise scheme.

The conviction was announced in a statement issued by the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas via its website on Monday.

According to the statement, Mba pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to make false statements in immigration documents.

US District Judge David Hittner subsequently sentenced him to 228 months (19 years) in federal prison.

“Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard that victims were defrauded of over $4 million,” the statement said.

“Romance scams are among the lowest and most despicable forms of fraud because they prey upon the lonely and vulnerable, and disproportionately victimize senior citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

“These online scams Mba and his friends perpetrated jeopardized the livelihood of family-run businesses, the ability of elderly individuals to retire, and exploited the trust that fuels our economy. 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,” Ganjei added. Punch