Anambra State Government has distanced itself from Franklin Nwadialo, Chairman, Ogbaru Local Government Council, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, in Texas, United States of America.
Naija Daily News broke the news of Nwadialo’s arrest for an alleged $3.13 million romance scam, popularly known as ‘Come-and-Marry’ after he was indicted last December.
The politician, who contested and won the recent Anambra LGA polls on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, now faces a possible 20-year jail term in America.
At the time of this report on Saturday morning (ET), there were indications that the fugitive council chair would be transported by the Justice Department to the Western DIstrict of Washington for arraignment.
It was gathered that Nwadialo, who was likely unaware of his indictment, flew into the arms of the FBI in Texas on Tuesday, allegedly en route to Canada.
APGA, Ogbaru Indigenes responsible for Nwadialo’s election
Meanwhile, Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, who inaugurated Nwadialo and other council chairmen recently, has now said that the state would not defend the US-indicted politician.
A report by one of Nigeria’s leading newspapers, The Nation quoted the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Dr Law Mefor, as saying: “He was chosen by his people and the political party he belongs. He’s not an appointee of Soludo, therefore I cannot speak for his conduct.
“Those who elected him should answer such questions whether the offence is true or not because I only speak for the state government and not local government, autonomy has come now.”
How Franklin Nwadialo (aka Giovanni) Fobbed Victims in Multimillion Scams
Information gathered from the US Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, revealed an indictment and criminal complaint filed in the case, in which Nwadialo allegedly defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million.
According to the indictment, Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni” when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. Nwadialo used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas so he could not meet the victims in person.
“Using these personas, Nwadialo invented many reasons he needed the victims to send him money. In one such case in 2020, he indicated he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim. He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million.
“A second victim was contacted in 2019 to help move funds from U.S. accounts to accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-schemers. In this instance, Nwadialo represented that he needed help moving money in connection with his father’s death.
“The victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by the defendant.”
A third victim was allegedly defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her. He claimed that a check she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments and he had her “reinvest” the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled.
The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction.
Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition.
The fourteen counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers.
