Nigerian Man Indicted in U.S. for $2.5 Million Romance Scam

A Nigerian national, Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, has been indicted in the United States for allegedly orchestrating a romance scam and laundering more than $2.5 million stolen from six victims across the country. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges in a statement released on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

Nwadavid, 34, from Abuja, Nigeria, was arrested on April 7 after arriving at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on a flight from the United Kingdom. He was previously indicted in January 2024 by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges of mail fraud and money laundering. Following his arrest, Nwadavid appeared in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 8 and was ordered detained pending further legal proceedings. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to charging documents, Nwadavid is accused of participating in a scheme that exploited victims through romance scams, which typically involve fake online profiles created on dating or social media platforms. These scams lure victims into false romantic relationships and manipulate them into sending money or conducting financial transactions under fraudulent pretenses, such as securing a fake inheritance or covering emergency medical costs.

Between 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid allegedly deceived victims into sending funds overseas. To conceal his involvement, he reportedly used a Massachusetts resident, identified as Victim 1, to receive funds from five other victims. He then allegedly instructed Victim 1 to transfer the money—including her own—through cryptocurrency transactions. Investigators allege that Nwadavid accessed cryptocurrency accounts in Victim 1’s name from abroad and moved the funds to accounts he controlled on LocalBitcoins, a now-defunct online crypto exchange.

If convicted, Nwadavid faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud and money laundering, along with fines of up to $250,000 and $500,000 respectively, or twice the amount involved in the offenses. He also faces the possibility of restitution, forfeiture of assets, and deportation following any prison sentence.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin. Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations and Nwadavid is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.