Nigerian citizen who attempted to unlawfully obtain U.S. residency through fraudulent marriages
sentenced in $4 million conspiracy
HOUSTON – 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, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Leslie Chinedu Mba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents Dec. 4, 2025.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Mba to serve 228 months in federal prison. Not a 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.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/nigerian-citizen-who-attempted-unlawfully-obtain-us-residency-through-fraudulent
A United States District Court has handed down a hefty 19-year prison sentence to Nigerian national Leslie Chinedu Mba for his involvement in a sophisticated $4 million fraud operation that combined romance scams, business email compromises, and attempts to secure U.S. residency through fake marriages. The 40-year-old, who had been living illegally in Houston, pleaded guilty last December and now faces deportation back to Nigeria once his term is served.
Mba's schemes, which ran from April 2018 to December 2023, preyed on vulnerable individuals and businesses, racking up losses exceeding $4 million. In the romance scams, fraudsters built fake relationships online to extract money from lonely victims, often seniors. The business email compromise involved hacking into company accounts to redirect legitimate payments to fraudulent ones controlled by Mba and his accomplices. Mba acted as a "money mule," using bank accounts to launder and move the stolen funds.
Adding another layer to his crimes, Mba tried multiple times to gain permanent U.S. residency through sham marriages, including to elderly women, after his initial immigration application was denied and he was ordered removed from the country. He pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements in immigration documents. U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced him to 228 months in federal prison on February 26, 2026, with Mba remaining in custody until transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility.
Mba didn't act alone. Four co-conspirators from Houston—Grace Morisho, 30; Rodgers Kadikilo, 30; Kristin Smith, 38; and Alexandra Golovko, 36—had already pleaded guilty to similar charges. Their sentences ranged from 15 to 25 months in prison for Morisho, Kadikilo, and Smith, while Golovko received five years of probation. The investigation was led by the FBI with help from the Houston Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei didn't mince words about the case: “Romance scams are among the lowest and most despicable form of fraud because they prey upon the lonely and vulnerable, and disproportionately victimize senior citizens. 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. Even worse, Mba and his confederates committed these crimes while attempting to remain in our country under false pretenses by deceiving immigration authorities. Now, Mba has prison to look forward to, followed by a one-way ticket back to Nigeria.”
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