Chris Nakamoto

WAFB Chief Investigative Reporter Chris Nakamoto’s reporting has changed laws and lives across southeast Louisiana.

Chris joined the WAFB TEAM in January 2025, eager to continue exposing wrongdoing, corruption, and injustices across the region.

He also co-anchors WAFB 9News at 5 pm.

A native of New Orleans, Nakamoto spent nearly two decades as an investigative reporter at WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge before leaving the station in December 2023.

In 2024, he spent a year working for InvestigateTV, the investigative arm of Gray Media, which owns WAFB. He continues to contribute reports to InvestigateTV, which airs content on more than 100 Gray Media television stations across the nation.

In 2023, Nakamoto received the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia silver baton for his numerous reports on the handling of the Ronald Greene case by the Louisiana State Police.

His work has also earned him five EMMY awards as well as regional Edward R. Murrow awards and numerous awards from both the Associated Press and the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters.

Chris graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with honors. In 2007, he moved to Baton Rouge, where he met his wife, Jamie. They have two children, Owen and Lila, and two furry Pomeranians, Rocco and Reggie.

On weekends, you'll usually find Chris and his family at an area baseball park cheering on his son and his travel team or at his daughter's dance recitals. He loves traveling, working out, sampling good food, and watching the Tigers win.