BOSTON – In a stunning turn of events, Nigerian national Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 35, of Abuja, Nigeria, was today sentenced to two years in federal prison for masterminding a $2 million romance scam and money laundering scheme. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin, also mandates one year of supervised release upon his release from custody.
Nwadavid, who was arrested in April 2025 after arriving in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport from the United Kingdom, was ordered to pay $2,724,810.41 in restitution. The defendant’s sentence concludes with mandatory deportation following his term of imprisonment.
In June 2025, Nwadavid pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering, and money laundering. He had been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in January 2024 on similar counts.
‘Romance scams’ are notorious for preying on unsuspecting victims through online dating websites and social media platforms. In Nwadavid’s case, he used fictitious profiles to gain the trust of his victims before directing them to engage in financial transactions that funneled money into cryptocurrency accounts under his control.
Between 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid participated in numerous romance scams, tricking victims out of their hard-earned money. One Massachusetts victim was hoodwinked into funneling funds from across the United States to Nwadavid via LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI, Boston Division announced today’s sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and Mackenzie A. Queenin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
RELATED: Nigerian Scammer Pleads Guilty to $2.5M Romance Scam
Related Federal Cases
- Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Scheme · Massachusetts
- Harvard-Trained FinServ Founder Faces Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Charges · Massachusetts
- Cambridge Man Jailed for $40K Diary Fraud · Massachusetts
- Ricco Gets Probation for EPA Fraud · Massachusetts
- Andover Man Pleads Guilty to Union Benefit Fraud · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News