Nigerian Man Arrested over $2.5m Fraud in United States, Risks 40 Years in Jail
- 34-year-old Charles Uchenna Nwadavid risks 40 years imprisonment for money laundering and mail fraud in the United States
- The Nigerian man was arrested for allegedly stealing more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims
- The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, issued a statement detailing how Nwadavid committed the crime
Legit.ng journalist, Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Massachusetts, United States - 34-year-old Charles Uchenna Nwadavid has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims in the United States.
The Abuja-based man reportedly transferred their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled.
Source: Twitter
The Nigerian national was arrested on April 7, 2025, after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas- Fort Worth International Airport.
The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, made this known in a statement issued via its official website.
Nwadavid was indicted on charges of mail fraud and money laundering by the federal grand jury in Boston in January 2024.
Nwadavid appeared in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas on April 8, 2025, and was detained pending further proceedings.
According to the statement, he will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
Nwadavid allegedly committed the romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad between 2016 and September 2019.
“In an effort to conceal his role as the recipient of the victims’ funds, Nwadavid allegedly used a victim from Massachusetts (Victim 1) to receive funds from five other victims around the United States.
“Nwadavid then allegedly tricked Victim 1 into passing her own and the other victims’ money to him through cryptocurrency transactions, and allegedly accessed accounts in Victim 1’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.”
The Nigerian risks 40 years in jail for both counts of money laundering and mail fraud if found guilty in a court of law.
Nwadavid would also be deported upon the conclusion of any jail term that may be imposed on him.
Two Nigerians sentenced to US federal prison
Legit.ng earlier reported that two Nigerian nationals and a Texan were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a multi-million dollar tax fraud scheme involving stolen identities and laundered funds.
The Stolen Identity Refund Fraud operation caused significant financial losses to the United States.
Department of Treasury and IRS Federal authorities emphasised that the case serves as a warning against tax fraud and transnational crimes targeting taxpayers.
Two Nigerians sentenced to 30 years combined in US
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that two Nigerian nationals, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, were sentenced to a combined 30 years in US federal prison for defrauding American citizens of $3.5 million.
The duo deceived their victims by promising them substantial inheritances and establishing fake romantic relationships to solicit money.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues to combat such fraud, and an accomplice, Jennifer Gosha, is scheduled for sentencing in December 2024.
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Source: Legit.ng
Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a trained journalist with over 8 years of working experience. He is also a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication from Lagos State University, Ojo. Adekunle previously worked at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria, where he expressed his journalistic skills with well-researched articles and features. In 2024, Adekunle obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached via adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng.
Kola Muhammed (Copyeditor) Kola Muhammed is an experienced editor and content strategist who has overseen content and public relations strategies for some of the biggest (media) brands in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has over 5 years of experience in copyediting.
