- Leslie Mba, 40, was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and immigration document fraud.
- The scheme defrauded victims of over $4 million through romance scams and business email compromise, targeting senior citizens and businesses.
- Following his imprisonment, Mba will be deported to Nigeria, having tried to remain in the U.S. through multiple fraudulent marriages.
A United States federal court has sentenced Leslie Mba, a 40-year-old Nigerian resident in Houston, to 19 years in federal prison for orchestrating a massive romance scam and business email compromise scheme that defrauded victims of over $4 million.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Mba pleaded guilty in December 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents.
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In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered that Mba be deported to Nigeria after serving his jail term.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, Mba and his co-conspirators targeted unsuspecting American women and businesses from April 2018 to December 2023.
The scheme involved gaining unauthorized access to business email accounts to redirect payments to fraudulent bank accounts controlled by Mba.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei described the actions as a despicable form of fraud that preyed upon the lonely, vulnerable, and elderly. “Romance scams cruelly manipulate trust, callously exploit the fear of loneliness, and leave victims both financially devastated and emotionally shattered,” Ganjei stated.
Beyond the financial crimes, Mba attempted to illegally obtain U.S. residency by entering into multiple fraudulent marriages.
These efforts occurred after his initial application for lawful permanent residency was denied, and he was ordered to be removed from the country.
The investigation, conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Houston Police Department, resulted in the dismantling of the conspiracy, with several co-conspirators also pleading guilty to related charges.
