The long arm of the law has finally caught up with a Nigerian national, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, 40, who has pleaded guilty in the United States to a romance scam that swindled unsuspecting American women out of more than $405,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana disclosed the development in a statement on Thursday, confirming that Inweregbu admitted to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson revealed that Inweregbu entered his guilty plea on August 21, 2025, before Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown.
According to prosecutors, the elaborate scheme ran between July 2017 and December 2018, with Inweregbu and his accomplices creating a fictitious persona, “Larry Pham”, to target victims on dating platforms and social media. By posing as a potential romantic partner, they exploited the emotions and trust of women across the U.S.
Once trust was secured, the conspirators manipulated their victims into transferring money into bank accounts under their control. Authorities said the stolen funds were then laundered through a web of intermediaries in an attempt to mask their illicit origins and beneficiaries.
Court documents reveal that at least four women fell victim to the scam, suffering actual and intended losses exceeding $405,000.
> “Inweregbu and his co-conspirators laundered the funds by directing victims’ money through intermediaries in a manner designed to conceal the nature, source, and control of the proceeds,” the statement read.
If convicted at sentencing, Inweregbu could face a maximum of 40 years behind bars—20 years for the fraud charge and another 20 for money laundering. He also risks fines of up to $750,000, along with supervised release terms and mandatory assessment fees.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
Simpson commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for spearheading the probe, while acknowledging critical support from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Department of State.
The case underscores the persistent threat of online romance scams and the costly toll they exact on unsuspecting victims worldwide.
PIONEER NEWS 