₦airaland Forum

A Nigerian national, Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, has been charged for his alleged role in allegedly stealing more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims and transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled.


The US Department of Justice announced this in a statement on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

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According to the statement, Nwadavid, 34, of Abuja, Nigeria, was arrested on April 7, 2025, after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.


In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering. Nwadavid appeared in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas on April 8, 2025, and was detained pending further proceedings.
He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.


According to the charging documents, “romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship. Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretences, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multi-million dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalization.
Between in or about 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid allegedly participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad.


In an effort to conceal his role as the recipient of the victims’ funds, Nwadavid allegedly used a victim from Massachusetts (Victim 1) to receive funds from five other victims around the United States.


Nwadavid then allegedly tricked Victim 1 in to passing her own and the other victims’ money to him through cryptocurrency transactions, and allegedly accessed accounts in Victim 1’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.


The mail fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss to the victim, restitution and forfeiture.

“The money laundering charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the laundering transactions, restitution and forfeiture. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed,” the statement read.

"Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

"United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”

Two Nigerians and a local forex agent have been arrested in Hyderabad, India, as police uncovered a transnational drug trafficking and money laundering syndicate with links to the United States and Nigeria, The Hindu Newspapers reports. Local events and activities

The suspects, identified as Ugwu Ikechukwu (alias Emma) and Chukwu Ogbonna (alias Big Joe), were arrested by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau and Cyberabad Police during a sting operation in the Upparpally area on Saturday, April 5.

Authorities seized 15 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of MDMA, and ₹45,000 in cash during the operation.
Mohd Mateen Siddiqui, a Hyderabad-based money transfer agent was also arrested for allegedly helping route proceeds from the illegal drug trade across borders.

Several people who are now evading capture have also been named by the police.

Among them are Ezeonyili Franklin Uchenna, Syed Sohail Abdul Aziz, Syed Naseer Ahmed, Mohd Awaiz, Mohd Mateen, Syed Yousuf Haq, Anand Jain, Shantilal Suresh Kumar Jain, and Uttam Jain.

According to the police, the syndicate was led by a Nigerian national, Ebuka Suzee, who initially entered India on a tourist visa. Local events and activities

Suzee allegedly set up a drug supply chain in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, working with his brother Franklin Uchenna and other associates to expand operations into the United States.

Investigators said the gang used fake relationships to scam single American women into giving up their banking details, which were then used to receive payments for drugs.

The funds were laundered through a network of local and international bank accounts before being routed to Nigeria.

“Ebuka Suzee initially arrived in India on a tourist visa and built a network to supply drugs in Hyderabad and Bengaluru with the assistance of his brother Franklin Uchenna. During this time, he developed connections with other accused individuals and extended his drug operations to the United States,” said TGANB Director Sandeep Shandilya.
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The laundered money was eventually delivered to Nigerian businessmen in Mumbai, who funneled it back home under the cover of legitimate garment trade.

He said Emma passed the funds to Big Joe, who transported them to Mumbai and delivered them to Nwabueze Kenechukwu Victor.

From there, the money was funnelled to Nigerian businessmen engaged in the garment trade, who laundered the proceeds.

“This network ran through a well-coordinated chain. Each individual, from the peddlers to forex agents, was aware of facilitating illegal transactions,” said Shandilya.

Police said the bust was the result of a long-running undercover operation during which officers posed as buyers to trace the entire network before making arrests.

Psoul:
I told you earlier that you're a cursed animal. And add animal you are, you believe that everyone you see is also an animal.
You're not to be blamed. That is the highest your animal limited brain can process.

Animal, just know it that I'm not from Enugu. Far from it. I've bn there and many other states in Nigeria.
Irrespective of my state is origin, I'll not accept any false report of any state that I know.
Cursed animal, crawl back into your little space in the bush.

Psoul:
Can u imagine a cursed animal calling Enugu State cursed.
This is hilarious.

Well, a mad man does not know that he is mad.

goodnessme1:
Biafra soldiers were pushing out Yoruba and Hausafulanis terrorists soldiers that came through ore down to East to fight Igbos that left.



War did not start in ore.

kettykings:
You’re a walking contradiction, void of even the faintest trace of common sense. It’s no surprise you’re neither here nor there—just drifting, loud but useless. You rant about wanting Biafrans to leave Lagos, yet you lack the spine to even take one meaningful step toward that goal. Instead, you crawl back to Nairaland and Twitter like a keyboard warrior, vomiting empty threads that change absolutely nothing. If Igbos were fully in control—if their own were manning the key offices across this failed federation—Nigeria would be groveling, on its pathetic knees, begging them not to walk away.

Kionrae:
your useless mama na foolish whoreee from the slums of kwara
Iragbiji baboon animal

Kionrae:
afornjaa are the real useless baboon animals 😉
Including your mother

goodnessme1:
Why did your fathers come down to East and fought for three years when all Igbos left south west?

kettykings:
Look at these chronic ritualist leeches daring to speak—yes, the same ones who danced in the streets of Lagos the day the civil war ended. The internet is littered with the disgraceful evidence of Yoruba faces rejoicing over the blood of Biafrans. The same scavengers who celebrated like vultures on Nairaland when Ekpa was arrested—hollow, spineless parasites who would rather choke on their own mediocrity than watch Biafra rise.

Now, with your tribesmen littering every top post—President, COAS, Chief Judge, IGP, DSS heads, Customs CG—you still wander aimlessly with no clue what to do with your miserable existence. If this isn’t the time to reinsert the secession clause you hypocritically blame Azikiwe for removing, then tell me: when is?

You wail daily about Igbos coming to Lagos, but all you do is cry and gossip like market women. You want change? Then act. Push for secession, not your pathetic VAT sharing formula. Stop bleeding the country dry with your vulturous presence and actually do something with your cursed lives.

Justnation:
Let them GO and stay on their own in their country you say NO.

IT shows that you are NOTHING without them , so stop the consuming jealousy and hatred.

Justnation:
They are Nigerians, stop this foolish profiling of Igbos.
When the Igbos perform great outside the credit becomes Nigeria, but when otherwise you remember that they are Igbos.

kettykings:
See who is talking about animal brothers, whereas your vulturistic brothers will not allow them be

kettykings:
We want it reduced to 0% via disintegration. Nobody wants to share same country with you.

Kionrae:
yes you mentioned Yoruba people 🤣🤣🤣

kettykings:
The number of igbos in jos is more than 50 times the number of igbos in Ibadan but Ibadan will not allow igbos rest. Igbos in kaduna and kano is more than all igbos in Yoruba land aside Lagos, mowe, ibafo, badagry, Agbara and Ota but yorubas will carry igbo matters on their head. Tufiakwa.

Kionrae:
Abloh i want to put it to you that your foolish father and mother are animal descendants
Confirm goats

Psoul:
Jealousy is killing you gradually.
Go take a look at yourself and see how bad you've gone down these days cos of jealousy and hatred to some people.

You're dying gradually oo.