A Nigerian man, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges brought against him by the United States government over his role in a romance scam that defrauded American citizens of more than $405,000.
The 40-year-old admitted to “conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and using an assumed name to commit a mail fraud scheme,” according to a statement released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ said Inweregbu and his co-conspirators ran “a lengthy romance scam targeting American citizens” between July 1, 2017, and December 16, 2018.
“Inweregbu and co-conspirators used online messaging platforms and email, to contact victims, introduce themselves, and appeal to victims’ longing for companionship,” the statement read.
“If the victim responded favorably, Inweregbu and his co-conspirators began to cultivate a romantic relationship that emotionally attached the victims to ‘Larry Pham’,” it added.
The US government said that once trust was established, the fraudsters posing as the fictitious “Larry Pham” persuaded victims to send money under false pretences.
“Once the relationship was established, the defendant and his co-conspirators, posing as Larry Pham, requested victims send them money under various scams and ruses to domestic bank accounts they opened and managed,” the DOJ said.
According to prosecutors, the fraud caused losses exceeding $405,000.
“Thereafter, Inweregbu and his co-conspirators laundered the funds, by conducting financial transactions using the proceeds of their wire and mail fraud scheme, designed in whole or in part to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds, by directing the victims’ funds through intermediaries,” the statement added.
On sentencing, the DOJ said: “Inweregbu faces up to twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a fine of $250,000 as to Count 1. He faces up to twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a fine of \$500,000 as to Count 12. He also faces payment of a \$100 mandatory special assessment fee per count. Sentencing before Judge Brown has been scheduled for December 4, 2025.”
This is not Inweregbu’s first conviction for romance fraud. In December 2020, a federal high court in Lagos sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦300,000 fine for a similar offence. He was also ordered to pay $15,000 to the United States Consulate “being refund of part of the money he had unlawfully benefitted.”
Boluwatife Enome
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