A 40-year-old Nigerian, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, has pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of fraud and money laundering after running a romance scam that cheated several American women of more than $405,000.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney, Michael M. Simpson, who said Inweregbu entered the plea on August 21, 2025, before Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown of the U.S. District Court in Louisiana.
According to court documents, Inweregbu and his gang carried out the scam between July 2017 and December 2018.
They set up fake profiles on dating sites and social media, using the false name “Larry Pham.” The made-up profile posed as a middle-aged man looking for love.
Once women responded, the group used sweet words, online chats and emails to build relationships. When the victims became emotionally attached, the fraudsters began asking for money.
Investigators said the victims were told different lies and excuses before sending funds into bank accounts opened and controlled by the gang.
The scam, according to prosecutors, caused actual and intended losses of over $405,000.
But the story did not end there. After receiving the funds, Inweregbu and his partners laundered the money. They moved it through intermediaries and disguised the transactions to hide the true source of the funds.
Simpson explained that the aim was to “conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds.”
For these crimes, Inweregbu pleaded guilty to:
Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud (Count 1)
Conspiracy to commit money laundering (Count 12)
Each count carries up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000 and $500,000 respectively.
He also faces mandatory assessment fees.
Sentencing has been fixed for December 4, 2025, before Judge Brown.
The Acting U.S. Attorney praised the FBI for leading the investigation and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the Department of State for their support.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit.
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