Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old citizen of Lagos, has admitted guilt in a calculated romance fraud that bilked American women of more than $405,000 and then masked the proceeds through elaborate laundering channels.
The plea, entered on 21 August 2025 before United States District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown, resolves two of the counts lodged by prosecutors in the Eastern District of Louisiana, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Court papers show the fraud ring operated between July 2017 and December 2018, creating false profiles on social media and dating sites under the alias “Larry Pham”.
The conspirators courted middle-aged female victims, cultivated emotional trust, and then engineered a series of pretexts to extract money to domestic bank accounts the group controlled.
Once transferred, funds were routed through intermediaries to conceal their origin. The scheme’s design and the time span suggest a methodical operation rather than opportunistic theft.
The federal charges are severe. Count 1 accuses Inweregbu of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and use of an assumed name in a mail fraud scheme under Title 18 USC Sections 1341, 1342, 1343 and 1349. Count 12 alleges conspiracy to launder the fraud proceeds, invoking Sections 1956 and 1957.
If convicted at sentencing on these counts, Inweregbu faces statutory maximums that together could exceed two decades behind bars and substantial fines. Sentencing is set for 4 December 2025.
This case is not an isolated statistic. Romance and confidence scams have become among the costliest categories of online fraud in the United States. Federal Trade Commission data show reported losses to romance scams topped more than $1.1 billion in recent years, while the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center continues to record tens of thousands of complaints annually.
The profile painted by law enforcement in Inweregbu’s case fits a familiar pattern: fabricated identities, emotional manipulation, repeated requests for money under shifting pretexts, and use of third-party accounts to launder receipts.
For investigators, the case underlines two linked truths. First, online intimacy is now a vector for organised fraud that crosses borders and legal systems. Second, prosecuting such schemes turns partly on financial forensics and international cooperation.
The human cost remains the clearest measure of harm. While aggregate figures headline the crisis, individual victims report devastating losses and psychological damage that outlast any money stolen. Romance scams often target people seeking companionship, exploiting isolation and trust.
Older adults are disproportionately represented among high-loss victims, though anyone can fall prey to these schemes. Authorities and consumer groups therefore advise caution on dating platforms: resist requests for money, verify identities with independent searches, and involve family or trusted advisers before transferring funds.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson publicly praised the FBI for its investigative work and acknowledged assistance from the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the State Department in moving the prosecution forward. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg of the Public Integrity Unit is leading the prosecution.
From a Nigerian perspective the case also raises reputational questions and law enforcement challenges. Nigeria has struggled for years with the international perception that organised online fraud is a national export.
That perception spurs diplomatic pressure, complicates legitimate technology and finance sectors, and invites increased scrutiny of remittances and account opening processes.
Senior Nigerian law enforcement and regulatory agencies must continue to cooperate with international partners, improve rapid response to cross-border complaints, and clamp down on local facilitators who enable transfer and cashing of illicit proceeds.
For victims and journalists the Inweregbu plea is a reminder to report suspected fraud promptly, preserve all communications and transaction records, and seek legal and financial advice.
Prosecutors will now prepare for sentencing in December, when the court will weigh the statutory penalties against the facts and the impact on victims.
The guilty plea removes one actor from the network, but not necessarily the entire apparatus that enabled the fraud.
The investigation that began in New Orleans points to more work ahead for transnational cooperation in policing online deception.
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