A Nigerian citizen living illegally in Houston has been sentenced to federal prison for his involvement in a romance scam and business email compromise scheme that defrauded victims of more than $4 million, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Leslie Chinedu Mba, 40, pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents. U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Mba to 228 months in federal prison. Following his sentence, Mba is expected to face removal proceedings as he is not a U.S. citizen.
During the sentencing hearing, the court was told that the fraudulent activities targeted both individuals and businesses between April 2018 and December 2023. The schemes involved gaining unauthorized access to business email accounts overseas and redirecting payments intended for legitimate businesses into fraudulent bank accounts controlled by Mba and others. They also acted as money mules by opening or using existing bank accounts to move proceeds from these crimes.
Mba also attempted to secure permanent residency in the United States through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial application was denied and he was ordered removed from the country.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei stated: “Romance scams are among the lowest and most despicable form of fraud because they prey upon the lonely and vulnerable, and disproportionately victimize senior citizens. 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.”
FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson added: “Out of all the frauds perpetrated by Leslie Mba and his co-conspirators, their weaponization of romance scams to deliberately target vulnerable and elderly Americans is most disturbing. Romance scams cruelly manipulate trust, callously exploit the fear of loneliness, and leave victims both financially devastated and emotionally shattered. The FBI will continue to combat fraudsters whose schemes leave a wake of misery behind.”
Four other defendants—Grace Morisho (30), Rodgers Kadikilo (30), Kristin Smith (38), and Alexandra Golovko (36), all from Houston—previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this scheme. Morisho, Kadikilo, and Smith received sentences ranging from 15 to 25 months; Golovko received five years probation.
Mba will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas operates under the U.S. Department of Justice and serves under the Attorney General. Its offices are located across several cities including Houston and it employs over 200 attorneys covering 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million. The office focuses on prosecuting federal crimes such as this case and handling civil cases for the government. Notable former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani who served from 2022-2025 as detailed on its official history page.
