A 40-year-old Nigerian, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, has pleaded guilty in the United States, to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering, in connection with a romance scam that defrauded multiple American women of more than $405,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, in a statement, said that Inweregbu entered the plea on August 21, 2025, before Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown.
According to court documents, between July 2017 and December 2018, Inweregbu and his accomplices operated a scheme using a fictitious online persona named “Larry Pham” to lure victims through dating sites and social media.
Once trust was established, they persuaded victims to transfer funds into bank accounts under their control.
The funds were later laundered through intermediaries to conceal their origins and ownership.
Prosecutors said the conspiracy caused actual and intended losses exceeding $405,000.
Inweregbu now faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for fraud, and an additional 20 years with a fine of up to $500,000 for money laundering, along with supervised release and mandatory fees. Sentencing has been fixed for December 4, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for spearheading the probe, with support from the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Department of State.
