A 40-year-old Nigerian national, Leslie Chinedu Mba, who was living illegally in Houston, has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a large-scale romance scam and business email compromise scheme.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei in a statement issued by the United States Department of Justice on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Mba pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to make false statements in immigration documents. U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced him to 228 months (19 years) in federal prison. As he is not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings after completing his sentence.
According to evidence presented in court, victims were defrauded of more than $4 million.
Reacting to the case, Jason Hudson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Houston Field Office, described the crimes as particularly troubling.
“Romance scams cruelly manipulate trust, exploit the fear of loneliness, and leave victims financially devastated and emotionally shattered,” Hudson said, adding that the FBI remains committed to pursuing fraudsters whose schemes cause widespread harm.
Court documents revealed that between April 2018 and December 2023, Mba and his co-conspirators — operating both within and outside the United States — orchestrated romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) schemes targeting unsuspecting victims.
The fraud typically began overseas, where accomplices gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected legitimate payments to fraudulent bank accounts. Victims believed they were paying genuine businesses, but the funds were instead diverted to accounts controlled by the conspirators.
Mba and others acted as money mules, opening new bank accounts or using existing ones to receive and transfer illicit proceeds.
In addition to the fraud charges, Mba attempted to secure U.S. permanent residency through multiple sham marriages after his initial application was denied and he was ordered removed from the country.
The scheme resulted in total losses of approximately $4 million.
Four other Houston residents — Grace Morisho, 30; Rodgers Kadikilo, 30; Kristin Smith, 38; and Alexandra Golovko, 36 — had earlier pleaded guilty in connection with the case. Morisho, Kadikilo and Smith received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 25 months, while Golovko was sentenced to five years’ probation.
Mba will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined at a later date.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
