Nigerian national Leslie Chinedu Mba, 40, living illegally in Houston, has pled guilty to his role in a wire fraud scheme that stole $4 million from victims across the U.S., U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei said. The scheme, running from April 2018 to December 2023, involved hijacking business emails and exploiting romantic relationships to redirect funds into accounts controlled by Mba and co-conspirators, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Mba and his accomplices acted as "money mules," setting up bank accounts to launder the stolen money. He also attempted to gain permanent U.S. residency through fraudulent marriages after an earlier application denial and removal order, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Four Houston-based individuals—Grace Morisho, 30; Rodgers Kadikilo, 29; Kristin Smith, 37; and Alexandra Golovko, 35—have pled guilty to charges similar to those of Mba. Mba is set to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Hittner on February 26, 2026. He faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five years for making false statements in immigration documents, and a possible $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Houston Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen M. Lansden and Alexander Alum. Mba will remain in custody until his sentencing, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
