Leslie Chinedu Mba, U.S. Residency Fraud, Texas 2025

A 40-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a romance scam and business email compromise scheme. Leslie Chinedu Mba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents on December 4, 2025.

Mba was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Hittner to serve 228 months in federal prison. As a non-U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard that victims were defrauded of over $4 million.

“Romance scams are among the lowest and most despicable forms of fraud because they prey upon the lonely and vulnerable, and disproportionately victimize senior citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “These online scams Mba and his friends perpetrated jeopardized the livelihood of family-run businesses, the ability of elderly individuals to retire, and exploited the trust that fuels our economy.

Mba and his co-conspirators carried out business email compromise and romance scams targeting unsuspecting victims from April 2018 to December 2023. The schemes began overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts.

Victims believed they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but Mba and others instead funneled the funds to accounts they controlled. Mba and others acted as money mules, opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and move proceeds from the fraud.

The scheme resulted in a total loss of $4 million. Four others had also previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scam: Grace Morisho, 30, Rodgers Kadikilo, 30, Kristin Smith, 38, and Alexandra Golovko, 36, all of Houston. Morisho, Kadikilo and Smith received sentences ranging between 15 to 25 months while Golovko received five years probation.

Mba will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.

Defendant Information:

Defendant Name: Leslie Chinedu Mba

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents

City and State: Houston, Texas

Exact Date: December 4, 2025

Sentence or Outcome: 228 months in federal prison

Dollar Amounts: $4 million

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/nigerian-citizen-who-attempted-unlawfully-obtain-us-residency-through-fraudulent