A United States federal court has sentenced 42-year-old Nigerian citizen Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo to five years in prison for masterminding an online romance scam that swindled victims out of more than $3.5 million.
The sentencing was announced by the US Department of Justice in a statement, which revealed that US District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright imposed the prison term on Monday, June 22, in Washington.
The department characterized the offense as particularly destructive due to its far-reaching impact on victims.
According to a report by Vanguard, Nwadialo currently serves as the chairman of the Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State.
While delivering judgment, Judge Cartwright noted that the fraudulent scheme left victims not only with significant financial setbacks but also with lasting emotional trauma.
The court heard that those affected experienced “shame, depression, and isolation from their own family.”
The case had previously attracted public attention in 2024 following Nwadialo’s arrest. At the time, the Anambra State Government refuted claims that he had ever been appointed by Governor Charles Soludo.
The clarification was made by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Law Mefor, who addressed the issue on Saturday, November 9.
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JUST IN: A 42-year-old Nigerian man, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, who is also Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for orchestrating an online romance scam that defrauded victims of more than $3.5 million. pic.twitter.com/nnvZVratjP
— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) June 24, 2026
How netizens reacted to the latest news;
Nwa Regina wrote: “These are the criminals we entrust power to through our broken electoral system. Smdh!”
Mr. 9X commented: “”Imagine a public office holder. This is serious; those politicians are really marketing the country so well.”
Joedinho decried the damage the sentencing of the local government chairman had caused Nigeria: “Every time a public official gets caught in a case like this, people say it’s an isolated incident. At some point, that excuse stops being believable. A local government chairman involved in a romance scam worth over $3.5 million? If true, that’s the kind of headline that writes its own criticism. Unpopular opinion: the real damage isn’t the money lost. It’s the damage done to public trust and Nigeria’s reputation whenever a high-profile figure is linked to fraud. The most disturbing part isn’t the sentence. It’s that someone entrusted with public responsibility was allegedly running a scheme that targeted vulnerable people for millions.”
David Ogba called for sanctity in public offices: “Public office should symbolize trust, not scandal. Cases like this stain Nigeria’s image and deepen public distrust. Accountability must be swift, transparent, and extend beyond prison to public office too.”
