Houston, Texas, USA – Leslie Chinedu Mba, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen illegally residing in Houston, Texas, has been sentenced to 228 months in a United States federal prison.
The severe 19-year sentence was handed down after Mba pleaded guilty to playing a central role in a sprawling $4 million conspiracy that involved devastating romance scams, sophisticated business email compromises, and immigration fraud.
Okay News reports that the extensive criminal network operated between April 2018 and December 2023, deliberately targeting vulnerable and elderly Americans.
Mba and his co-conspirators acted as money mules, redirecting intercepted business payments and scammed funds into fraudulent accounts under their control. In a desperate bid to evade deportation after his initial application was denied, Mba also attempted to unlawfully secure US permanent residency through multiple sham marriages.
Handing down the sentence, US District Judge David Hittner confirmed that Mba will face immediate removal proceedings following his lengthy imprisonment.
Condemning the despicable nature of the crimes, US Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei noted that the scammers callously jeopardized the retirements of elderly individuals and the livelihoods of family-run businesses, stating that Mba now has “prison to look forward to, followed by a one-way ticket back to Nigeria.”
