Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian, has pled guilty to his involvement in a romance scam that defrauded American women of more than $405,000.
Inweregbu appeared before U.S. District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown on August 21, 2025, where he admitted to two charges related to the scheme.
According to a statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson, Inweregbu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as using an alias to further the fraudulent scheme, in violation of multiple sections of the United States Code.
He also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to launder money obtained through these illicit activities.
The scam, which took place between July 1, 2017, and December 16, 2018, involved Inweregbu and his co-conspirators using fake identities to lure women into emotional relationships.
They created profiles on social media and dating platforms under the alias “Larry Pham,” portraying a middle-aged man looking for love. Once the victims responded, the scammers, including Inweregbu, established emotional bonds and manipulated the women into sending large sums of money.
The victims were convinced to transfer funds for various fake emergencies, with the money directed into domestic bank accounts controlled by the scammers.
In total, the scam resulted in actual and potential losses exceeding $405,000.
The fraudulent group also engaged in money laundering activities, using intermediaries to disguise the source and ownership of the stolen funds.
Inweregbu now faces significant prison time. For Count 1 (conspiracy to commit fraud), he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
For Count 12 (conspiracy to commit money laundering), he faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and three years of supervised release.
Additionally, he is required to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
