Leslie Chinedu Mba
| Leslie Chinedu Mba | |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Convicted fraudster |
| Known for | $4 million romance scam and business email compromise scheme |
Leslie Chinedu Mba (born c. 1986) is a Nigerian national who was sentenced to 228 months (19 years) in federal prison for orchestrating a $4 million fraud operation involving romance scams, business email compromise, and immigration document falsification. Based in Houston, Texas, Mba led a conspiracy that targeted vulnerable individuals and businesses across the United States between 2018 and 2023.
Early Life and Career
Little is publicly known about Leslie Chinedu Mba's early life in Nigeria. He entered the United States and settled in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area, where he resided illegally after his initial application for lawful permanent residency was denied and he was ordered removed from the country. Rather than complying with the removal order, Mba remained in Houston and became involved in an extensive fraud network.
Legal Case
The Fraud Scheme
From April 2018 through December 2023, Mba and a network of co-conspirators, operating both inside and outside the United States, carried out two primary types of fraud schemes.
The first involved business email compromise (BEC), in which the conspirators gained unauthorized access to corporate email accounts belonging to legitimate businesses. Using these compromised accounts, they redirected legitimate business payments into fraudulent bank accounts under their control. Victims believed they were sending money to established business partners, unaware that the payment instructions had been altered by the conspirators.
The second involved romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly Americans. The perpetrators cultivated deceptive online relationships, building trust over weeks or months before soliciting money from their victims under false pretenses.
Mba and his associates functioned as "money mules," opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and transfer the stolen funds. The total losses from the combined schemes exceeded $4 million.
Co-Conspirators
Four Houston-area defendants were also charged in connection with the scheme:
- Grace Morisho, 30, sentenced to between 15 and 25 months in prison
- Rodgers Kadikilo, 30, sentenced to between 15 and 25 months in prison
- Kristin Smith, 38, sentenced to between 15 and 25 months in prison
- Alexandra Golovko, 36, sentenced to five years of probation
Immigration Fraud
In addition to the financial fraud charges, Mba attempted to obtain lawful permanent residency in the United States through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial immigration application was denied. These sham marriages constituted a separate conspiracy to make false statements in immigration documents.
Outcome
On December 4, 2025, Mba, then 40 years old, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents. He was sentenced to 228 months (19 years) in federal prison by U.S. District Judge David Hittner in the Southern District of Texas. Following the completion of his sentence, Mba is expected to face removal proceedings and deportation to Nigeria.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.
References
- ↑ "Leslie Chinedu Mba". 'ConFraud}'. 2026. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ↑ "Nigerian national sentenced to 19 years for $4M scam involving fraudulent marriage attempts". 'FOX 26 Houston}'. 2026-03-01. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ↑ "US court jails Nigerian man for 19 years over $4m romance, email fraud scheme". 'Daily Post Nigeria}'. 2026-03-03. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ↑ "US court sentences Nigerian man to 228 months in prison over $4m romance scam". 'TheCable}'. 2026-03-02. Retrieved 2026-03-30.