The former governor of Anambra State and his spouse changed the ownership structure of several properties they held in the United States starting in 2022, just months after his detention on allegations of stealing public funds.
Willie Obiano, who governed Anambra from 2014 to 2022, was taken into custody immediately after leaving office while attempting to board a plane from Lagos to Houston. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of embezzlement and money laundering, and the legal process is ongoing.
According to property documents reviewed by investigative groups, Obiano and his wife transferred ownership of six apartments in Texas following his arrest. While they parted with those units, records indicate they still retain four apartments in the state. There is no evidence that any of the American properties were purchased with funds Nigerian authorities claim were misappropriated.
Four of the transferred apartments were bought before Obiano entered politics, when he worked as a banker in the private sector. Two were acquired during his tenure as governor. Together, the six properties are valued at roughly $1.8 million, based on local tax records.
The first transactions occurred in 2022, the same year of Obiano’s arrest. He sold one apartment in Houston, while his wife, Ebelechukwu, sold another in the same city. Reached by text message, Ebelechukwu described the real estate dealings as “private business” and refused to discuss the properties or the case against her husband.
A second round of transfers took place in 2024, the year Obiano was formally charged with embezzling and laundering 4 billion naira—around $4.4 million at the time—from state funds. Records show that the couple shifted ownership of four properties to a Texas-based company called Wilveg Investments Series LLC. Corporate documents reveal that Ebelechukwu became the registered agent for the firm in November 2023. The company was originally formed in 2010 with four managers, including Obiano, his wife, and their daughter.
Attempts to reach Obiano directly were unsuccessful. Messages were sent to phone numbers linked to his lawyer and a spokesperson, but no response was received.
Obiano now faces a nine-count indictment from Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accusing him of siphoning money from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account. These accounts, according to a 2018 report by Transparency International and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, are meant to cover unforeseen security needs but often fuel corruption because they lack legislative oversight or independent audits.
The former governor has denied all allegations. His trial has been delayed after the presiding judge was suspended by Nigeria’s National Judicial Council for an unrelated misconduct issue.
Despite the transfers, property records show that Obiano and Ebelechukwu still co-own one apartment in Texas, purchased in 2011. Ebelechukwu individually holds two other apartments in the state, bought in 2011 and 2024. She also purchased another unit in 2014, which she later transferred to her daughter the following year.