Leslie Chinedu Mba has pleaded guilty to his role in a $4 million wire fraud and romance scam. Mr Mba, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen who illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty to his role in a business email compromise conspiracy and for running a romance scam that targeted victims nationwide.
The fraudulent scheme Mr Mba coordinated with his allies resulted in the theft of $4 million, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
Mr Mba faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five years for committing false statements on immigration documents, as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
“These online scams that Mba and others perpetrated jeopardized the livelihood of family-run businesses, the ability of elderly individuals to retire, and exploited the trust on which our economy is based,” said Mr Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas remains committed to holding such fraudsters accountable, and protecting our people and companies from financial harm, especially when these scammers remain in our country under false pretenses and deceive immigration authorities.”
According to the Department of Justice, from April 2018 to December 2023, Mr Mba and others, inside and outside the United States, carried out business email compromise and romance scams targeting unsuspecting victims.
The schemes began overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorised access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts.
Victims believed they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but Mr Mba and others instead funneled the funds to accounts they controlled. Mr Mba and others acted as money mules, opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and move proceeds from the fraud.
Mr Mba also tried to obtain U.S. permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial application was denied and he was ordered to be removed from the country.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner set February 26, 2026, for his sentencing. Mr Mba will remain in custody pending that hearing.
