US issues arrest warrant for Nigerian woman over $851,000 romance fraud case after prison no-show

A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Nigerian-born U.S. permanent resident Emuobosan Emanuella Hall, 45, after she failed to begin serving an eight-year prison sentence linked to a romance fraud operation.

U.S. authorities confirmed that Hall did not report to a designated Bureau of Prisons facility by March 25, 2026, as required following her sentencing earlier this year. A federal judge in Louisiana signed the warrant on April 14, 2026, after she failed to appear, placing her officially in fugitive status.

Court records show Hall was convicted for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, as well as money laundering. Prosecutors said she entered a guilty plea after being arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was initially released on bond while awaiting sentencing.

In January 2026, she was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison but was permitted to remain out of custody temporarily under strict instructions to surrender in March.

Monitoring data from her electronic tracking device placed her last known location at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport a day before she was due to report. The device later went offline. Although she told probation officers she was traveling to Minnesota, airline records did not confirm she boarded any flight. Separate phone records suggest movement toward the Washington, D.C. area shortly afterward.

Prosecutors described a scheme that targeted mostly older women through online romantic deception. The operation began on social media platforms, where suspects posed as military officers, overseas businessmen, or philanthropists. Conversations were later moved to encrypted messaging apps.

Victims were persuaded to send funds under claims such as medical emergencies or charitable projects.

Investigators also linked Hall and her co-defendant, Kenneth G. Akpieyi of Georgia, to a registered business entity used to process payments tied to the scheme. Court filings state Hall handled deposits and transferred proceeds through multiple accounts, including foreign institutions.

Authorities estimate her personal responsibility for losses exceeding $851,000, while total losses attributed to the operation surpassed $3.5 million. Akpieyi was convicted separately after trial and is currently serving a 25-year sentence in federal custody.

Federal prosecutors say failure to report to prison could result in additional penalties of up to 10 years, which may be served consecutively to her existing sentence, alongside financial penalties and supervised release terms.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI in New Orleans, continue efforts to locate Hall.