Nigerian Man in U.S. Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Wire Fraud and Immigration Violations

A Nigerian national living illegally in the United States has admitted to orchestrating a sweeping fraud scheme that siphoned millions from businesses and individuals across the country. The defendant, identified as 40-year-old Leslie Chinedu Mba, entered a guilty plea before a federal court in Texas after investigators linked him to a $4 million network of business email compromise (BEC) attacks and romance scams.

Federal prosecutors detailed how Mba and multiple partners, operating both within and outside the U.S., spent several years breaching corporate email systems, diverting legitimate payments, and deceiving vulnerable victims through online relationships. The operation ran from 2018 to 2023, leveraging compromised email accounts to reroute funds into bank accounts secretly controlled by the syndicate.

Authorities said victims, including small businesses and retirees, unknowingly transferred money to fraudulent accounts, believing they were settling invoices or supporting trusted partners. Mba and his collaborators acted as intermediaries, opening or repurposing bank accounts to receive and rapidly move the stolen funds, making recovery difficult.

Prosecutors also uncovered a separate pattern of immigration fraud. After his initial residency request was rejected, Mba attempted to secure permanent residency by entering multiple sham marriages and submitting falsified documents to immigration authorities. These actions formed the basis of additional charges for making false statements to federal officials.

Government lawyers criticised the impact of Mba’s activities, noting that the scams undermined financial confidence and caused severe personal and commercial losses. They emphasised the government’s commitment to aggressively prosecuting cyber-enabled crimes that exploit digital trust and financial systems.

Mba now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and an additional five-year sentence for submitting false information on immigration documents. He also risks a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has scheduled February 26, 2026, as the sentencing date. Mba remains in federal custody pending the court’s final judgment.