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Anambra LG Chairman Reportedly Nabbed In US Faces 20 Years Jail, Deputy Chair May Take Over
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, arrested in Texas, United States, for allegedly running a $3.3 million romance scam may be jailed for 20 years .
Nwadialo was arrested upon his arrival at an airport in Texas on an indictment returned in the Western District of Washington.
He will be transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.
As a result of Nwadialo’s arrest, his deputy may be sworn in soon to take over as chairman of Ogbaru Local Government, a source told our correspondent.
The Anambra State government has declined to comment on the matter, but Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo is reportedly unhappy with the development
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, Nwadialo used various versions of the name “Giovanni” when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café.
He allegedly used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas, so he could not meet them in person.
The indictment also revealed that Nwadialo invented many reasons to convince his victims to send him money.
In one instance, he claimed he needed $150,000 to pay a fine imposed by the military for revealing his location to one of the victims.
Another victim was defrauded of at least $330,000 after Nwadialo asked for help moving funds from U.S. accounts to accounts controlled by him and his co-schemers.
A third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her.
He claimed that a cheque she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments and had her “reinvest” the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction.
In August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition.
The fourteen counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers. Wire fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison in the United States of America.
The FBI is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Jiang is prosecuting. U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman commended investigators for arresting Nwadialo, stating that defendants in romance scams are often overseas and unreachable by U.S. law enforcement.
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See Photos of World’s Tallest and Shortest Women Meet for Afternoon Tea in London
The world’s tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman met for the first time this week, sipping tea from china cups — and bonding over what they have in common while celebrating their differences.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Rumeysa Gelgi, from Turkey, stands at 7 feet and 0.7 inches, while Jyoti Amge, from India, is 2 feet and 0.7 inches.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gelgi, 27. “Thank you — you too,” replied Amge, 30.
Their meeting, over afternoon tea at London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, came ahead of Guinness World Records Day, which is held annually in November to mark record-breaking achievements and encourage people to attempt records. The pair have been honored as “World Record icons” in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
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“Meeting Jyoti for the first time was wonderful,” Gelgi said in a release Wednesday. “She’s the most gorgeous lady. I was waiting to meet her for a long time.”
Gelgi said the pair bonded over their love for makeup, jewelry and doing their nails.
Video footage showed them sitting down for tea, cakes and sandwiches stacked next to them, with the London Eye visible from the window.
Amge said in the release that she was “so happy to look up” and see the world’s tallest woman, whom she called “good-natured.” She added that it was difficult at times for the pair to make eye contact “due to our height difference.”
“Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences,” its editor in chief, Craig Glenday, said in a statement ahead of Guinness World Record Day, which is on Thursday.
“By bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and, also, with us,” Glenday said.
Gelgi’s record-breaking height is due to a rare genetic condition called Weaver syndrome, which causes rapid growth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
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The primary symptom is growth and bone development that occurs faster than usual, making those affected taller than average. People with Weaver syndrome may have rigid muscles and difficulty extending their elbows or knees.
Gelgi used a walking aid for support during the pair’s meeting. Her case of Weaver syndrome was the 27th ever diagnosed and the first in Turkey, according to Guinness World Records.
Weaver syndrome is generally caused by changes in the EZH2 gene, according to the NORD, though the organization notes that some people with Weaver syndrome do not have a mutation in the gene.
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Amge, an actor who played the character of Ma Petite in the television series “American Horror Story,” has a genetic growth disorder that occurs in the early stages of fetal development, known as achondroplasia.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition causes shorter bones, abnormally shaped bones and shorter stature. While the genetic defect can be passed from parent to child, in about 80 percent of cases, achondroplasia results from a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the developing embryo.
On Thursday, Gelgi shared photos on Instagram of the two exploring London despite the cold weather, posing side by side in front of Tower Bridge.
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