Nigeria battles growing money laundering menace

Nigeria's reputation as one of Africa's economic powerhouses is blighted somewhat by a surge in international and inter-state financial crimes, marked by high rates of money laundering, cybercrimes, currency counterfeiting and other financial infractions.

This paradox of economic growth – the World Bank projects Nigeria's economy to expand by 3.5% in 2025 despite global uncertainties – and a widening spectrum of financial fraud has triggered a surveillance overdrive across the West African nation over the past few months.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria's primary financial fraud watchdog, has already arraigned a suspect arrested in March at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the country's economic hub.

According to court filings, the flyer allegedly failed to declare US $578,000 in cash, resulting in four charges, including money laundering and counterfeiting.

Shuaibu Idris Miqati, who heads the Lagos-based financial intelligence advisory firm Time-Line Consult Ltd, sees the trend as reflecting the inherent disadvantages of an almost open and interconnected global economic system.

"International air travellers being routinely intercepted with undeclared cash while leaving or arriving in Nigeria suggests that loopholes remain, although prevalence was higher in previous years," Miqati tells TRT Afrika.

"There are signs of exacerbating corruption and a crime network whose reach now extends beyond Nigerian shores."

Systemic factors

Nigeria's customs regulations prohibit cash carry-on exceeding $10,000, which means anyone wanting to breach the limit has to employ one or more of multiple illegal options.

Arrests, particularly at airports, frequently involve travellers attempting to move money from illegal activities such as human trafficking, drug smuggling and illegal mining.

Money laundering typically refers to the offence of concealing the origins of ill-gotten money, often through complex banking transfers or commercial transactions. These methods are not only illegal but also damaging to the economy.

"Transactions outside the purview of the banking system undermine the economy. When a significant portion of financial dealings goes unreported, economic indicators like GDP become skewed, affecting taxation, planning and economic policies," explains Miqati.

Laundering also enables kleptocracy or political looting and fuels organised crime, including racketeering, human and drug trafficking, cybercrime, tax evasion and terrorism.

Central Bank of Nigeria, the country's apex bank, has launched a campaign against currency smuggling while promoting financial inclusion.

Inflation hedging

So, why do individuals and even business entities risk smuggling hard currencies despite sophisticated airport surveillance systems?

Miqati points to Nigeria's prevailing inflationary crises, including erosion of household and business incomes, as a driving factor.

"There is an increasing tendency to 'invest' in foreign currencies, which some people see as a stable defence against domestic inflationary pressures," he tells TRT Afrika.

Money mules, who physically transport illicit money across borders, often employ both official and unofficial means to evade airport security.

At Lagos airport, EFCC personnel zeroed in on the suspect arrested last month when he declared only half of the $578,000 cash he was carrying from Johannesburg in South Africa. A search of his belongings revealed an equal amount in US dollars concealed in multiple packets.

Enhanced surveillance

In March, Nigerian border security and financial intelligence reported a breakthrough in the crackdown on money laundering when a traveller was intercepted with $1.154 million and 135,900 Saudi riyals in undeclared cash at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the busiest in northern Nigeria. The undeclared cash was hidden inside packs of imported date palm.

The case has since been handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and legal proceedings.According to Nigerian financial law, the offender's conviction would likely lead to the forfeiture of the entire quantum of undeclared cash to the federal government.

Experts like Miqati believe Nigeria's financial system could face more daunting challenges from money laundering and other economic crimes as criminal networks get smarter and find newer ways to dodge surveillance.

By Mazhun Idris, TRT Global

Nigerian crime gangs are targeting young British boys in 'sextortion' scams

Teenage boys in the UK are being blackmailed by Nigerian crime gangs that pose as young women online - with the National Crime Agency offering advice on what victims should do.

NCA officials said boys as young as 14 have been targeted with "sextortion" scams on social networks including Snapchat and Instagram.

Criminals trick them into sending sexual images - and then threaten to share the pictures with their family, friends and school unless they pay about £100.

While most victims of child sexual exploitation are female, the NCA said 90% of online sextortion victims are boys aged 14 to 17.

In some cases, those affected have taken their own lives out of fear the images will be shared.

Marie Smith, a senior manager at the NCA's child exploitation and online protection command, called the abuse "extremely disturbing".

As part of an NCA awareness campaign, she urged victims: "Do not pay - stay calm. We can help. If you pay once, they will just demand more."

Sextortion 'unimaginably cruel'

Most of the offences are committed by people from West African countries, including Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.

"Nothing is off the cards and we hope to hold these criminals accountable," Ms Smith said.

NCA director of threat leadership Alex Murray said: "Sextortion is unimaginably cruel and can have devastating consequences for victims.

"This campaign will help empower young boys, giving them the knowledge to spot the dangers posed by this crime type and how to report it.

"It supports them to understand that if it does happen, it is never their fault. It will also take the advantage away from the criminals responsible, whose only motivation is financial gain.

"Sadly, teenagers in the UK and around the world have taken their own lives because of 'sextortion', which has been a major factor behind launching this campaign."

Last year alone, the NCA's CEOP safety centre received 380 sextortion reports. In the first five months of 2024, UK police forces recorded an average of 117 monthly reports involving under-18s.

And in the US, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 28,000 sextortion reports globally in 2024 - up from 26,718 the previous year.

Sky News

Related story: Nigeria man indicted in sextortion scheme after South Carolina teen dies

Cybercrime schools in Nigeria: The proliferation of internet fraud

In recent years, Nigeria has gained notoriety as a global hub for internet fraud, a subset of cybercrime popularly known by the slang “yahoo yahoo”, with fraudulent activities ranging from sextortion, email or romance scams to sophisticated hacking operations. In 2024, the West African nation ranked fifth in the first-ever World Cybercrime Index on global cybercrime hotspots, coming behind Russia, which ranked number one, and Ukraine, China, and the United States, which occupied the second, third, and fourth positions respectively. A disturbing development in this trend is the emergence of “cybercrime schools” — informal training hubs where individuals, often children and young adults, are taught how to defraud others online.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimated that the country loses approximately USD 500 million annually to online fraud. The proliferation of internet fraud has become a major concern, as it not only impacts victims financially and psychologically but also tarnishes the country's reputation internationally.

 
What are cybercrime schools?

Cybercrime schools are underground operations where instructors teach aspiring fraudsters the skills needed to commit online crimes. They are commonly referred to as “HK”, which means “Hustle Kingdom” or “419 training schools”. In Nigeria, 419 refers to Section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code, which criminalizes fraud and related offences. Over time, the term “419” has become synonymous with scams and fraudulent activities. Students enrolled in such fraud academies, often referred to as “Yahoo boys”, are coached on how to manipulate victims.

In a massive raid on December 10, 2024, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 792 suspects allegedly involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams. Among those apprehended were 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos, two Kazakhstanis, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian. The raid occurred in a seven-story building located in the highbrow area of Victoria Island, Lagos, where these foreign nationals reportedly trained their Nigerian accomplices on how to initiate romance and investment scams. They also used the identities of their Nigerian accomplices to perpetrate online fraud.

Barely a month later, another syndicate of Chinese fraudsters (who usually recruit local tech-savvy Nigerians) specializing in hotel review job scams, targeting mostly European victims, were arrested in Nigeria's capital city, Abuja.

The EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that there are minors in primary schools (elementary school) who are enrolled in cybercrime schools across the country with the consent of their parents.

“We have what we call the 419 training schools where they harvest our children from primary school. When they leave their regular studies, they close at 2 o’clock; they end up in some of these 419 training schools. They start indoctrinating them. They first of all ask them, even their parents, to sign an undertaking.”

The mindset and appeal of internet fraud

A social media search of the sentence “Yahoo is not a crime” on X reveals several posts like this and this by Nigerian users who strongly believe that internet fraud is not even a crime. One user on X noted:

Yahoo Yahoo (internet fraud), is really an eye opener on some issues concerning our society, regardless of how bad it is, I can say there's a lot faux, lies that it uncovered, one of them will be about relationship.
— sultan of Kaduna 🐊 (@sultanofvybezz) February 9, 2023

While some Nigerians consider internet fraud merely a “hustle”, others claim it is a means of retrieving what colonial masters took from Africa or some form of revenge against slavery. A viral video shows a lady who praised her 12-year-old brother for successfully scamming his first victim. A viral comedy skit satires a Yahoo boy's conversation with a potential romance scam victim (referred to as a client). Several other factors that contribute to the rise of internet fraud include the pervasive get-rich-quick mentality as well as the appeal and glamorization of fraudulent success. Pop culture and social media have amplified a narrative that all Yahoo boys live in luxury, as both are rife with images of the scammers flaunting luxury cars, expensive clothes, and extravagant lifestyles.

Unemployment and poverty are also contributing factors. With limited job opportunities, online fraud appears to offer a faster route to wealth compared to legitimate employment. The absence of adequate digital literacy and cybersecurity awareness in schools leaves young people vulnerable to being lured into these criminal activities.

The fight against cybercrime

Although the Nigerian government has taken steps to combat cybercrime through the Cybercrime Act of 2015 — which criminalizes offences like identity theft, online fraud, and hacking, it has been criticized for having insufficient penalties.

Many social media users criticize the government's response to these crimes, arguing that the relatively short jail term and small fines for convicted internet fraudsters aren't enough of a deterrent.

EFCC is being mischievous with these headlines.

Dude stole $345,000 and was given 2 years jail term with option of a meager fine of N2m [USD 1,324]. Which I’m sure he’s paid by now.

Shameful. And this is why fraud won’t end here. https://t.co/IicnUjTpoQ

— Pete (@Prymefactor) January 9, 2025


While Nigeria collaborates with international law enforcement agencies to tackle internet fraud and apprehend suspects based in Nigeria, agencies such as the EFCC and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) are tasked with enforcement, conducting raids, arrests, and awareness campaigns.

The director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC), CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, said 751 arrests were made and significant assets were recovered in 2024. However, he emphasized the need for advanced forensic tools and stronger collaboration with technology firms to address increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Nigerian cybersecurity specialist Chidiebere Divinewill Ihediwa suggested “redirecting the knowledge of the Yahoo boys”. He advised the EFCC to devise a method of re-orientating the educated e-fraudsters arrested by the agency towards becoming information technology specialists rather than allow them to rot away.

By Pamela Ephraim, GlobalVoices

Related story: Almost 800 arrested over Nigerian crypto-romance scam

THAI WOMAN’S ROLE IN NIGERIA FRAUD RING ENDS IN HAI YAI AIRPORT ARREST

Thai Police have apprehended a Thai woman at Hat Yai International Airport for her involvement in a massive romance scam operation run by her Nigerian husband, with fraudulent transactions totaling over 6.2 billion baht ($175.3 million USD). The arrest comes five years after the initial warrant was issued.

Crime Suppression Division officers arrested Ms. Orathai, 52, at the international arrival terminal of Hat Yai International Airport in Khlong Hoi Khong district, Songkhla province. She was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on May 7, 2020, on charges of criminal association, participation in transnational organized crime, conspiracy to commit fraud by impersonation, and money laundering.

The investigation revealed that in 2017, Orathai worked at a massage parlor in Malaysia, where she met her Nigerian husband through a colleague’s introduction. After their marriage, she lived with him while he covered all her expenses, allowing her to stop working.

Two years into their relationship, her husband claimed he wanted to establish a business in Thailand and requested her help in opening bank accounts for financial transactions, explaining that as a foreigner, he couldn’t do so himself. He offered 6,500 baht per account opened. The suspect proceeded to open multiple accounts and handed over complete control of deposits and withdrawals to her Nigerian husband.

Police investigators discovered that these bank accounts were linked to a major fraud case involving Ms. Chamanant and associates, who had illegally transferred money from a company through multiple transactions, causing damages totaling 6,223,872,674.31 baht.

Authorities arrested Orathai when they learned she was traveling from Malaysia to visit her children in Thailand. During questioning, the suspect made a full confession to all charges. The case has been transferred to investigators for further legal proceedings.

Khaosod

Related story: Video - Nigeria man indicted in sextortion scheme after South Carolina teen dies

Huntsville man admits to laundering money for Nigerian sextortionists

Freight fraud from India to Nigeria

The Cyber Security Bureau in Telangana, a state of India, has launched an investigation into a major fraud scheme involving 18 former Amazon employees who allegedly manipulated the company’s delivery system to claim about $11.8 million in fraudulent transportation reimbursements.

The scheme revolved around falsified delivery trips registered within Amazon’s logistics system. Authorities say the accused, in collaboration with U.S.-based suppliers, created fake delivery records, claiming to have transported goods to customers who were either unavailable or had incorrect addresses. This allowed them to pocket transportation fees without ever completing the deliveries.

Amazon’s internal audit uncovered the scam, prompting a formal complaint. The fraudulent activities reportedly took place at the company’s Relay Operation Center in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, which monitors global shipments. Investigators are now scrutinizing the operations of the former employees and their network to understand the full extent of the fraud.

A case has been registered against 22 individuals. As authorities dig deeper, more revelations are expected about how the individuals bypassed Amazon’s security measures.

This case underscores the growing sophistication of fraud in the logistics industry and the need for stringent internal controls, advanced fraud detection systems and continuous monitoring to prevent financial losses.

Nigeria’s cargo tracking woes 🚚

In an effort to curb rampant fraud and illicit activities within its maritime sector, Nigeria is set to implement the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) in Q2 2025. The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) will oversee the rollout, despite significant opposition from key industry stakeholders.

The ICTN is designed to enhance transparency, security and efficiency in cargo tracking. However, many in the shipping and logistics industry argue that it will lead to increased costs and bureaucratic hurdles, and despite its potential benefits, the initiative has faced multiple setbacks due to internal conflicts, corruption and resistance from industry players.

Nigeria’s maritime sector suffers an estimated $500 million loss annually due to cargo fraud, under-declaration and inefficiencies. Over the past five years, this has amounted to a staggering $2.5 billion in lost revenue.

The implementation of ICTN has sparked strong resistance from shipping lines, importers and logistics operators. The chairman of the Shipping Lines Association of Nigeria, Boma Alabi, has voiced concern that the initiative will function as an additional tax, increasing costs for businesses and consumers. Similarly, Segun Musa, national vice president of air logistics at the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, labeled ICTN an “intellectual fraud,” arguing that it will lead to double inspections, one at the point of origin and another upon arrival, negating the purpose of Nigeria’s existing inspection policy.

Despite these criticisms, NSC Executive Secretary Pius Akutah has defended the ICTN, emphasizing its potential to boost government revenue and reduce smuggling, including illicit shipments of arms and drugs. The minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, acknowledged flaws in the past administration’s approval process but stressed the need to implement ICTN as part of the government’s economic diversification strategy.

As Nigeria moves toward ICTN implementation, the freight and logistics industry will closely monitor its impact, particularly in mitigating fraud, improving cargo security and enhancing port efficiency. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether ICTN can be the game-changer the Nigerian maritime sector desperately needs.Check out a past commentary on FreightWaves about the modernization of Africa’s logistics capabilities here.
Kal Freight’s bankruptcy update 💸

Kal Freight’s bankruptcy case continues to unfold, revealing deeper scrutiny into its financial dealings and prospects. The California-based trucking company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December amid allegations of fraudulent activity, now faces increased pressure from creditors demanding an independent investigation.

This week, creditors urged a Texas bankruptcy judge to appoint an independent examiner to further investigate allegations of pre-petition fraud and mismanagement. The move signals growing concerns over the company’s financial conduct before its bankruptcy filing, particularly in light of the accusations that Kal Freight fraudulently obtained nearly $17 million from Daimler and engaged in unauthorized asset transfers totaling tens of millions of dollars.

Kal Freight is now working on a Chapter 11 reorganization plan, expected to be filed in February. The plan may take one of two paths: a sale of the business or a restructuring aimed at keeping the company operational.

More developments are anticipated in the coming weeks as Kal Freight’s bankruptcy proceedings continue to evolve.

By Grace Sharkey, Freight Waves

Nigeria man indicted in sextortion scheme after South Carolina teen dies

Nigeria man indicted in sextortion scheme after South Carolina teen dies.

19 News

Related stories: Huntsville man admits to laundering money for Nigerian sextortionists

Stop Sextortion - bereaved parents' appeal to criminals in Nigeria

Huntsville man admits to laundering money for Nigerian sextortionists

Authorities say a Huntsville man is set for sentencing after he admitted he laundered money for Nigerian sextortionists.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge announced on Wednesday that Dinismore Guyton Robinson, 29, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering after he laundered money for Nigerian Sex extortionists.

His sentencing before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker is scheduled for April 24.

The indictment states a group of money launderers, including Robinson, used online payment systems to collect sextortion proceeds and send them to Nigerian sextortionists.

Other money launderers in the group were:

. Johnathan Demetrius Green, 32, Stone Mountain, Georgia
. Jarell Daivon Williams, 31, McDonough, Georgia
. Kendall Ormond London, Jr., 32, Lithonia, Georgia
. Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., 30, Stone Mountain, Georgia.

According to the indictment, the sextortionists had boys and young men create nude images. After they received those images, they had the victims send funds to the U.S.-based money launderers through online payment systems like Apple Pay, Cash App and Zelle.

The money launderers would keep about 20% of the money, convert the rest to bitcoin and send the bitcoin back to Nigeria.

The indictment specifically said one of the money launderers, Green, laundered the funds of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old high school student from Marquette, Michigan after he was extorted by the three Nigerian men.

Officials said that the sextortion scheme caused DeMay’s death. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022.

In November 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged the three Nigerian nationals in the sextortion scheme that targeted DeMay and more than 100 other victims.

By Tony Cortes, News19

Related story: Scammers from Nigeria accused in AI Brad Pitt impersonation Scam

Almost 800 arrested over Nigerian crypto-romance scam

Scammers from Nigeria accused in AI Brad Pitt impersonation Scam

A group of Nigerian scammers have been accused of pulling off a scam involving AI to impersonate Hollywood star Brad Pitt and dupe a woman.

The victim, a French citizen named Anne, was duped into thinking she was in a romantic relationship with the actor.

The elaborate ruse cost her life savings and she is now seeking legal redress against the scammers.

The fraudsters used AI to generate convincing images of Pitt, further solidifying their deception.

Anne was initially approached on Instagram by someone claiming to be Pitt's mother, after she posted photos from a skiing trip in Tignes.

The scammers then manipulated her into believing that Pitt urgently needed funds for kidney treatment and his bank accounts were inaccessible due to ongoing divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie.

Anne's attorney, Laurene Hanna, disclosed that her client had lost a whopping €830,000 (around ₹7.5 crore) to the fraudsters.

In a bid to hunt down these criminals, Anne has sought the assistance of Marwan Ouarab from FindmyScammer.com.

According to Le Parisien's report quoting Ouarab, the culprits are three young men living in Nigeria.

Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that it can only launch an investigation into this case if it receives a formal petition. "It is a petition that authorizes the EFCC to act," spokesperson Dele Oyewale told AFP.

Nigeria has a notorious reputation for being home to internet fraudsters, colloquially known as "Yahoo Boys."

However, despite the notoriety, the EFCC remains committed to fighting all forms of emerging crime, including those enabled by AI.

In a recent operation in Lagos's affluent Victoria Island area, the agency apprehended 792 suspects involved in online scams.

By Dwaipayan Roy, NewsBytes

Related story: Nigerian duo found guilty of defrauding Albuquerque resident of $560K

Nigeria to spend seized money on rural electrification

On Friday, the government announced that millions in recovered funds linked to former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke will be used to fund rural electrification projects across Nigeria. The announcement followed the signing of an Asset Return Agreement between Nigeria and the United States which enables the US to return nearly $52.9 million (€51.6 million) seized from the forfeiture of assets belonging to the former minister and her associates.

The agreement is significant in that it is the first repatriation of assets to Nigeria linked to Alison-Madueke. She was Nigeria's oil minister from 2010 to 2015 and became the first female president of the oil alliance OPEC.

Nigerian Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi said the recovered funds were an example of the countries' unwavering commitment to fighting corruption. He added that "it also signifies the commitment of the United States of America to facilitating restitution and supporting integrity and accountability in governance."

Lucrative contracts

In 2017, a civil complaint filed by the US Department of Justice requested the recovery of over $100 million (€97 million) in assets suspected of being obtained through bribes to the former minister for petroleum resources. The lawsuit alleged that between 2011 and 2015, two Nigerian businessmen conspired with others to bribe the former oil minister, who oversaw the country's state-owned oil company NNPC Ltd. In return, the minister is said to have used her position in office to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by the two businessmen.


According to court documents, proceeds from those illicitly obtained contracts were laundered through the United States and used to buy various assets via shell companies, including luxury properties in California and New York, as well as a 65-meter (214.5-foot) superyacht.

Alison-Madueke, who was minister for petroleum resources during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, has denied allegations of corruption. However, Nigeria's anti–graft agency has obtained court orders to seize houses, cars and jewelry in Nigeria, which it claims were proceeds of corruption connected to the former minister and her associates, according to the Associated Press.


The corruption challenge

Despite a projected economic growth rate of 3.7% in 2024, according to the African Development Bank, most countries continue to grapple with extreme poverty. As of 2024, an estimated 464 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa alone live in extreme poverty, according to the World Bank. The economic situation is the result of decades of severe underfunding in critical public sectors, exacerbated by corruption and illicit financial flows which siphon public funds and resources away from citizens.

Nigeria is rife with corruption. A 2023 report by the country's statistics agency, NBS, ranked corruption as the fourth-most significant problem affecting the country. Following shortly after, were other challenges including high living costs and rampant unemployment. In 2023 alone, about N721 billion (€451 million) was paid in cash bribes to public officials in the country.

Analysts are quick to point out that corruption could cost Nigeria up to 37 percent of its gross domestic product by 2030 if it is not adequately tackled.

Nigerian Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi mentioned that diplomatic efforts such as the agreement between the United States and Nigeria highlight the "importance of international cooperation in addressing the global scourge of corruption, which is also linked to trans-border crimes." He also pointed out that it "underscores the obligations and commitments enshrined in the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act , which guide our collective efforts to ensure that stolen assets are returned and used for the benefit of our citizens."


Funds bring light to rural communities

Nigeria has the world's largest deficit when it comes to access to electricity, according to the World Bank, with 45% of Nigerians cut off from power. An even grimmer disparity exists between urban and rural areas. Only 26 percent of rural Nigeria is connected to the electricity grid.

Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, he has taken on various initiatives aimed at bridging the electricity gap and introducing economic activities in rural communities. Earlier last December, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier made a state visit to Nigeria to bolster energy ties between the two countries.

Justice Minister Fagbemi said the recovered funds would be used to support rural electrification through the World Bank, with $50 million earmarked for improving access to renewable energy in Nigeria's rural communities.

Fagbemi said the remaining nearly $2.9 million would be disbursed as a grant by Nigeria to the International Institute for Justice to support counterterrorism measures across Africa.

The justice minister said measures had been put in place to ensure that the returned funds are not only disbursed but also "utilized transparently and accountably by the World Bank and IIJ, with periodic reports to be forwarded to Nigeria and the US on the implementation of the projects."

By Sarah Hucal, DW

Related story: US returns $50m in alleged stolen funds to Nigeria

Nigerian duo found guilty of defrauding Albuquerque resident of $560K

Two Nigerian nationals were found guilty of defrauding $560,000 from an Albuquerque resident, the Department of Justice announced on Monday.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the four-day trial, Olutayo Sunday Ogunlaja, 39, and Abel Adeyi Daramola, 37, used a fake profile on the dating website eHarmony.com to start a romantic relationship with the victim. The duo then requested money from the victim, claiming the money would be used to complete a construction project in Malaysia and allow them to return safely to the United States.

The DOJ said the victim sent approximately $560,000 to various accounts in the United States, Canada, and Malaysia between January 2016 and April 2017.

Ogunlaja and Daramola will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, they each face up to 20 years in prison.

By Fallon Fischer, KRQE

Related story: Almost 800 arrested over Nigerian crypto-romance scam

Almost 800 arrested over Nigerian crypto-romance scam

Nigeria's anti-graft agency said it had arrested 792 suspects in a raid on a building believed to be a hub for fraudsters who lured victims with offers of romance, then pressed them to hand over cash for phoney cryptocurrency investments.

The suspects, including 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino nationals, were detained on Dec. 10 at the seven-storey Big Leaf Building in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren said.

The luxury building housed a call centre mostly targeting victims from the Americas and Europe, he added.

Staff there would make contact with people through social media and messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram, then seduce them online or offer them apparently lucrative investment opportunities, Uwujaren told reporters.

Once victims were hooked, they were pressured to transfer money for fake cryptocurrency schemes and other non-existent projects.

"Nigerian accomplices were recruited by the foreign kingpins to prospect for victims online through phishing, targeting mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans and several others from European countries," Uwujaren said.

"Once the Nigerians are able to win the confidence of would-be victims, the foreigners would take over the actual task of defrauding the victims," he said.

Uwujaren said the Commission was collaborating with international partners and would look into potential links to organised crime. Its agents seized computers, phones and vehicles in the raid, he added.

Reuters

Related story: Stop Sextortion - bereaved parents' appeal to criminals in Nigeria

Inside the fertilitly scam in Nigeria

Chioma is adamant that Hope, the baby boy she is holding in her arms, is her son.  After eight years of failed attempts to conceive, she sees him as her miracle baby.

“I’m the owner of my baby,” she says defiantly.

She’s sitting next to her husband, Ike, in the office of a Nigerian state official who spends the best part of an hour interrogating the couple.

As the commissioner for women affairs and social welfare in Anambra state, Ify Obinabo has plenty of experience in resolving family disputes - but this is no ordinary disagreement.

Five members of Ike’s family, who are also present in the room, do not believe Hope is the couple’s biological child, as Chioma and Ike claim.

Chioma claims to have “carried” the child for about 15 months. The commissioner and Ike’s family are in disbelief at the absurdity of the claim.

Chioma says she faced pressure from Ike’s family to conceive. They even asked him to marry another woman.

In her desperation, she visited a “clinic” offering an unconventional “treatment” - an outlandish and disturbing scam preying on women desperate to become mothers that involves the trafficking of babies.

The BBC was allowed by authorities to sit in on the commissioner's discussion with Chioma as part of our investigation into the cryptic pregnancy scam.

We have changed the names of Chioma, Ike and others in this article to protect them from reprisal in their communities.

Nigeria has one of the highest birth rates in the world, with women often facing social pressure to conceive and even ostracisation or abuse if they cannot.

Under this pressure, some women go to extremes to realise their dream of motherhood.

For over a year, BBC Africa Eye has been investigating the “cryptic pregnancy” scam.

Scammers posing as doctors or nurses convince women that they have a “miracle fertility treatment” guaranteed to get them pregnant. The initial “treatment” usually costs hundreds of dollars and consists of an injection, a drink, or a substance inserted into the vagina.

None of the women or officials we spoke to during our investigation know for sure what is in these drugs. But some women have told us they led to changes in their bodies - such as swollen stomachs - which further convinced them they were pregnant.

Women given the “treatment” are warned not to visit any conventional doctors or hospitals, as no scan or pregnancy test would detect “the baby”, which the scammers claim is growing outside the womb.

When it’s time to “deliver” the baby, women are told labour will only begin once they are induced with a “rare and expensive drug”, requiring further payment.

Accounts of how the “delivery” happens vary, but all are disturbing. Some are sedated only to wake up with a Caesarean-like incision mark. Others say they are given an injection that causes a drowsy, hallucinatory state in which they believe they’re giving birth.

Either way, the women end up with babies they are supposed to have given birth to.

Chioma tells commissioner Obinabo that when her time to “deliver” came, the so-called doctor injected her in the waist and told her to push. She does not spell out how she ended up with Hope, but says the delivery was “painful”.

Our team manages to infiltrate one of these secretive “clinics” - connecting with a woman known as “Dr Ruth” to her clients - by posing as a couple who have been trying to conceive for eight years.

This so-called "Dr Ruth" runs her clinic every second Saturday of the month in a dilapidated hotel in the town of Ihiala, in the south-eastern Anambra state. Outside her room, dozens of women wait for her in the hotel corridors, some with visibly protruding stomachs.

The whole atmosphere is buzzing with positivity. At one point, huge celebrations erupt inside the room after a woman is told she is pregnant.

When it’s our undercover reporters’ turn to see her, "Dr Ruth" tells them the treatment is guaranteed to work.

She offers the woman an injection, claiming it will enable the couple to “select” the sex of their future baby - a medical impossibility.

After they turn down the injection, "Dr Ruth" hands them a sachet of crushed pills as well as some more pills for them to take at home, along with instructions on when to have intercourse.

This initial treatment costs 350,000 naira ($205; £165).

Our undercover reporter neither takes the drugs nor follows any of "Dr Ruth’s" instructions and returns to see her four weeks later.

After running a device that looks like an ultrasound scanner across our reporter’s stomach, a sound like a heartbeat is heard and "Dr Ruth" congratulates her on being pregnant.

They both cheer with joy.

After delivering the good news, "Dr Ruth" explains how they’ll need to pay for a “scarce” and expensive drug needed for the baby to be born, costing somewhere between 1.5 and two million naira ($1,180; £945).

Without this drug, the pregnancy could extend beyond nine months, "Dr Ruth" claims with disregard for scientific fact, adding: “The baby will become malnourished - we’d need to build it up again.”

"Dr Ruth" has not responded to allegations the BBC has put to her.

The extent to which the women involved genuinely believe the claims is unclear.

But clues as to why they would be susceptible to such brazen lies can, in part, be found in online groups where disinformation around pregnancy is widespread.


A network of disinformation

Cryptic pregnancy is a recognised medical phenomenon, in which a woman is unaware of her pregnancy until the late stages.

But during our investigation, the BBC found widespread misinformation in Facebook groups and pages about this type of pregnancy.

One woman from the US, who dedicates her entire page to her “cryptic pregnancy", claims to have been pregnant “for years” and that her journey cannot be explained by science.

In closed groups on Facebook, many posts use religious terminology to hail the bogus “treatment” as a “miracle” for those who’ve been unable to conceive.

All of this misinformation helps solidify women’s belief in the scam.

Members of these groups are not only from Nigeria, but also from South Africa, the Caribbean, and the US.

The scammers also sometimes manage, and post in, these groups, enabling them to reach out to women expressing an interest in the "treatment".

Once someone expresses readiness to start the scam process, they are invited into more secure WhatsApp groups. There, admins share information about “cryptic clinics” and what the process involves.

 

‘I’m still confused’

Authorities tell us that to complete the “treatment”, the scammers need new-born babies and to do that they seek out women who are desperate and vulnerable, many of them young and pregnant, in a country where abortion is illegal.

In February 2024, the Anambra state health ministry raided the facility where Chioma “delivered” Hope.

The BBC obtained footage of the raid, which showed a huge complex made up of two buildings.

In one were rooms containing medical equipment - apparently for clients - while in the other were several pregnant women being kept against their will. Some were as young as 17.

Some tell us they were tricked into going there, unaware their babies would be sold to the scammer’s clients.

Others, like Uju, which is not her real name, felt too scared to tell their family they were pregnant and sought a way out. She said she was offered 800,000 naira ($470; £380) for the baby.

Asked if she regrets her decision to sell her baby, she says: “I’m still confused.”

Commissioner Obinabo, who has been part of efforts in her state to crack down on the scam, says scammers prey on vulnerable women like Uju to source the babies.

At the end of a tense interrogation, commissioner Obinabo threatens to take away baby Hope from Chioma.

But Chioma pleads her case, and the commissioner eventually accepts her explanation that she is a victim herself and that she hadn’t realised what was going on.

On this basis she allows Chioma and Ike to keep the baby - unless the biological parents come forward to claim him.

But unless attitudes towards women, infertility, reproductive rights and adoption change, scams like this will continue to thrive, experts warn.

By Yemisi Adegoke, Chiagozie Nwonwu, and Lina Shaikhouni, BBC

Related stories: Nigerian 'baby factory' where men were hired to impregnate women before the newborns were sold is busted with ten victims rescued including four bearing children

Video - Baby trafficking syndicate arrested in Imo state

 

Stop Sextortion - bereaved parents' appeal to criminals in Nigeria

The parents of a British teenager who took his own life after becoming a victim of sextortion have made a direct appeal to criminals in Nigeria to stop "terrorising" the vulnerable.

Murray Dowey, from Dunblane, was only 16 when he ended his life last year.

It is thought he had been tricked by criminals in West Africa into sending intimate pictures of himself and then blackmailed.

Murray’s mother and father also condemned social media companies for not doing enough to protect young people, saying they have "blood on their hands."

Sextortion often involves victims being sent a nude picture or video before being asked to send their own in return.

They then receive threats the material will be shared with family and friends unless they meet the blackmailer's demands - pressure it is believed led Murray to take his own life.

Mark and Ros Dowey have now recorded a video message regarding the "cruel" crime.

They said: “You’re abusing children. You've ended Murray's life.

“How would they feel if it was their child or their little brother or their friend? I mean, it's so cruel, and this is children, and it's abuse”.

“You're terrorising people, children, for some money, and I don't think in any society that is in any way acceptable”.

Sextortion has become big business in Nigeria involving thousands of young men nicknamed “yahoo boys”.

Guides on how to get involved in the crime are openly for sale online, as a BBC News investigation revealed earlier this year.

BBC News Investigations spent months communicating with a man in Nigeria actively involved in sextortion, persuading him to give an insight into this world.

He spoke to our colleagues in Lagos on condition of anonymity.

He told them: “I know that it's bad, but I just call it survival of the fittest.”

He described sextortion as like an “industry” and admitted he treats it like a game.

He added: “It depends on the fish you catch. You might throw the hook in the sea. You might catch small fish or big fish."

However he was then played Ros and Mark’s recorded message and appeared shocked by it.

He said he was "almost crying" and felt "very bad”.

However Murray’s parents don’t only blame the criminals for their son's death.

They hold tech companies responsible too.

Sextorters find their victims by targeting individuals on social media then using their list of friends and followers in their blackmail attempts.

Ros told BBC News: “I think they've got blood on their hands. The technologies are there for them to stop so many of these crimes.”

Mark believes Silicon Valley could do more but that they won't as it would cost them money.

He added: "It will stop them making more billions than they're making”.


'No chance to intervene'

Analysis by the UK’s National Crime Agency found that all age groups and genders are being targeted, but that a large proportion of victims are boys and aged between 14 and 18.

Police believe there is underreporting of the crime because victims are too scared or embarrassed to come forward.

Mark told the BBC his son was "a really lovely kid" and that his parents had no idea anything was wrong.

He said: "He went up to his room, and he was absolutely fine. And you know, we found him dead the next morning”.

His mother Ros added: “We had no chance to intervene, to notice there was something wrong and try and help and fix it”.

The Dowey family were involved in a campaign launch in Edinburgh, which warns young people about the dangers of sextortion.

The Fearless campaign brings together Police Scotland, Crimestoppers and the Scottish government. It highlights the risks of sharing intimate images online and offers advice on what to do and where to go for help if someone is targeted by criminals.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said it was "difficult but not impossible" to track offenders - and that it was important for people to report crimes to police to help with evidence gathering.

He added the force would target criminals no matter where they are in the world.

Mark and Ros told BBC News they had a message for any young person who finds themselves a victim of sextortion.

The couple stated: “There's nothing that is worth taking your own life for so if something happens to you, put that phone down and go and get somebody you trust and tell them it's happened.”

“We can’t have this happening to more children, what happened to Murray."

By Angus Crawford and Tony Smith, BBC

Related stories: Nigerian brothers get 17 years for sextortion that led to Michigan teen's death

How sextortion scammers in Nigeria targeted my son

Two arrested in Nigeria for sextortion after Australian boy's suicide

How escalating POS fraud is ruining many Nigerians

The Point of Sale (PoS) system, which is supposed to serve as a faster, safer and more efficient means of financial transactions for businesses, is increasingly becoming a nightmare for many Nigerians. This is largely due to its misuse by criminals to carry out illicit activities.

The rise and widespread adoption of PoS systems have also led to a surge in other crimes, including kidnapping and “One Chance”, as the convenience of these transactions makes it easier for criminals to operate without being easily traced.

PoS fraud usually happens when criminals exploit loop holes in the electronic payment systems used by businesses and consumers. This can involve card skimming, phishing schemes, data theft or even direct theft of funds through compromised terminals. With Nigeria’s rapidly expanding financial technology sector and the growing adoption of digital payments, the country has become a prime target for these fraudulent schemes.

The statistics paint a stark picture. Reports indicate a sharp increase in PoS fraud cases over the past few years. According to data from the Nigerian Cybercrime Unit, there was a 40% rise in reported POS fraud incidents between 2022 and 2023.

Similarly, recent reports by the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), on Fraud and Forgeries in Nigerian Banks showed that PoS transactions experienced the highest increase in fraudulent activities in the first quarter of 2024. According to the report, PoS fraud cases swelled by 31.12% with over 3,518 reported cases.

Many of these cases involve sophisticated tactics that are difficult for the average consumer to detect until significant financial damage has already been done.

Helen Nnamani, a POS operator in Abuja, recounted how she lost a huge sum earlier in the year when her POS terminal was compromised, leading to unauthorised transactions that drained her business account.

She lamented that despite her efforts to contact her bank and the POS provider, the process of recovering her lost funds has been slow and fraught with frustration.

“I trusted the system, but now I feel betrayed. The bank says it is not their fault, and the POS company is unresponsive. My business is suffering because of the fraud,” she said.

Also, Samuel Adewale, a university student, had his card skimmed during a POS withdrawal at a market in Lagos. His bank account was nearly emptied before he could block it, and although he reported the incident immediately, the recovery process has been anything but swift.

“I went to the market on that very day in March and after purchasing everything I needed, I realised that the cash I had on me would not be enough to get me home. So, I decided to make a quick withdrawal from a random POS operator nearby.

“About thirty minutes after I left the market and was on my way home, I started receiving debit alerts for withdrawals I had not made. I tried to block my account, but the network was very poor.

“By the time I was finally able to block it, they had successfully withdrawn N150,000 from my bank account. I immediately returned to the market and searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find the POS operator.

“I reported to the bank but the recovery process has been very slow and bleak. I had to take a loan just to cover my immediate expenses while waiting for the bank to sort things out,” Samuel narrated.

To address this troubling trend, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has recently mandated that POS agents from major fintech companies in Nigeria, including OPay, Palmpay and Moniepoint, register their businesses by July 7, 2024.

The deadline has since been extended by an additional 60 days, giving operators until September 5, 2024, to comply.

According to the CAC, the registration initiative is designed to protect the interests of fintech businesses and their customers, while also bolstering the economy.

To further strengthen the war against the escalating problem of POS fraud, several experts have proposed a multi-faceted approach.

Zainab Abu, Head of Merchant Business at Nigerian Fintech Hydrogen, affirmed the widespread occurrence of POS fraud in Nigeria and noted that most POS terminals in the country use Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) chip cards instead of magnetic stripe cards, that make it harder to compromise card details. She suggested employing tamper-proof terminals that automatically erase data if tampering is detected.

The FinTech expert also recommended geofencing PoS terminals, which she explained, is a cybersecurity feature that sets virtual boundaries for devices.

Abu said if a device with this software feature leaves the environment it has been tagged to, a trigger is set off, alerting relevant parties. She noted, however, that this will require certain businesses to make adjustments to their business models or processes.

She further said that geofencing would help relevant authorities identify the specific regions or terminals responsible for PoS frauds, but pointed out that this technique is limited to only some sectors as it can not be applied to other areas that require mobility.

She noted that the strategy would be useless without adequate and responsive enforcement protocols.

“If you look at businesses in the transportation or logistics sector, this could have a negative impact because, from day one, you are not able to tell where your devices will end up. It would adversely affect their business models because people that want to pay on delivery are no longer able to pay because the POS has most likely left its geo-fenced location,” she added.

Abu also welcomed the recertification of PoS terminals, which she said will ensure the harmonisation of standards for all stakeholders.

“From a merchant perspective, it would ensure that merchants have quality devices, and that would in turn ensure that the customer experience is a good one because there might have been instances where terminals find their way into circulation without having the proper certification done,” she said.

But, she stated that with over 1.8 million POS terminals in the country, completing the proposed six-month recertification process might be challenging. However, she added that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) could achieve it if the necessary arrangements are made.

Financial consultant, Michael Nduka, highlighted the importance of consumer awareness. “Consumers need to be educated about the risks and signs of fraud. Simple measures, like regularly monitoring bank statements and using secure networks, can make a significant difference,” he said.

According to Chuka Nwosu, a technology policy analyst, collaboration between banks, POS providers, and regulatory bodies is crucial. According to him, “we need a unified approach to address the vulnerabilities in the payment system. This includes sharing information about threats and coordinating responses.”

Legal expert, Idris Amoo, advocates for more stringent regulations and enforcement, saying: “The regulatory bodies should ensure that POS providers adhere to strict security standards and hold them accountable for breaches.”

Former National President of the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents of Nigeria (AMMBAN), Olojo Victor, stated that illegal POS agents have infiltrated the system and the association is working diligently to identify and remove these problematic actors.

Olojo said that there have been customer complaints about fraud occurring at agents’ points, with many incidents involving cardless withdrawals using pay codes.

A pay code is a 10 to 14-digit number used for withdrawing cash from an ATM or making payments at a paycode-enabled POS terminal. It is generated through a bank’s Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) code or mobile app.

Olojo explained: “A number of factors are involved in PoS fraud with agents. First, it depends on what kind of withdrawal was made with the PoS agent.

“There are also cases of people stealing SIM cards and using bank short codes to withdraw customers’ funds. That is possible.”

He confirmed that, in cases of compromise, there is a possibility that agents could gain access to customers’ bank details.

“The possibility is just a case of compromise. It is either the customer has told the agent her personal PIN number or there is a compromise in terms of the details of the card.

“For instance, if a customer gives out to the agent those numbers written in the front of the card and the details at the back of the card, when a customer goes, the customer can do a transaction online using those details.

“We always advise customers not to divulge their bank details to anyone. When you carry out agent transactions ensure that you do not reveal your PIN to him. Do not drop your ATM card with him.

“Also ensure that your SIM card is not compromised because these days many SIM cards are tied to bank accounts. Fraudsters can easily load cards or make withdrawals from your bank account through SIM cards,” he warned.

By Adanna Nnamani, The Sun

How sextortion scammers in Nigeria targeted my son

Sextortion is the fastest-growing scam affecting teenagers globally and has been linked to more than 27 suicides in the US alone. Many of the scammers appear to be from Nigeria - where authorities are under pressure to do more.

It has been two years since Jenn Buta’s son Jordan killed himself after being targeted by scammers who lured him into sending them explicit images of himself, and then tried to blackmail him.

She still can’t bring herself to change anything about his bedroom.

The 17-year-old’s basketball jerseys, clothes, posters and bedsheets are just how he left them.

The curtains are closed, and the door is shut to keep memories of him that only a parent would understand.

“It still smells like him. That’s one of the reasons I still have the door closed. I can still smell that sweat, dirt, cologne mix in this room. I'm just not ready to part with his stuff,” she said.

Jordan was contacted by sextortion scammers on Instagram.

They pretended to be a pretty girl his age and flirted with him, sending sexual pictures to coax him into sharing explicit photos of himself.

They then blackmailed him for hundreds of pounds to stop them sharing the pictures online to his friends.

Jordan sent as much money as he could and warned the sextortionists he would kill himself if they spread the images. The criminals replied: “Good… Do that fast - or I'll make you do it.”

It was less than six hours from the time Jordan started communicating until the time he killed himself.

“There's actually a script online,” Jenn told BBC News, from her home in Michigan, in the north of the US. "And these people are just going through the script and putting that pressure on.

"And they're doing it quick, because then they can move on to the next person, because it's about volume.”

The criminals were tracked to Nigeria, arrested, and then extradited to the US.

Two brothers from Lagos - Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20 - are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to child sexploitation charges. Another Nigerian man linked to Jordan’s death and other cases is fighting extradition.

Jordan’s tragic story has become a touch point in the fight against the growing problem of sextortion.

Jenn is a now high-profile campaigner on TikTok – using the account Jordan set up for her – to raise awareness about the dangers of sextortion to young people. Her videos have been liked more than a million times.

It’s feared that sextortion is under-reported due to its sensitive nature. But US crime figures show cases more than doubled last year, rising to 26,700, with at least 27 boys having killed themselves in the past two years.

Researchers and law enforcement agencies point to West Africa, and particularly Nigeria, as a hotspot for where attackers are based.

In April, two Nigerian men were arrested after a schoolboy from Australia killed himself. Two other men are on trial in Lagos, after the suicides of a 15-year-old boy in the US and a 14-year-old in Canada.

In January, US cyber-company Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) highlighted a web of Nigerian TikTok, YouTube and Scribd accounts sharing tips and scripts for sextortion. Many of the discussions and videos are in Nigerian Pidgin dialect.

It’s not the first time that Nigeria’s young tech-savvy population has embraced a new wave of cyber-crime.

The term Yahoo Boys is used to describe a portion of the population that use cyber-crime to earn a living. It comes from the early 2000s wave of Nigerian Prince scam emails which spread through the Yahoo email service.

Dr Tombari Sibe, from Digital Footprints Nigeria, says cyber-fraud such as sextortion has become normalised to young people in the country: “There's also the big problem of unemployment and of poverty.

"All these young ones who don't really have much - it's become almost like a mainstream activity where they don't really think too much about the consequences. They just see their colleagues making money.”

African human rights charity Devatop has said the current methods of handling sextortion in Nigeria have failed to effectively curb the practice. And a report from NCRI said that celebrating sextortion crimes are an established part of the internet subculture in the country.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, the director of Nigeria’s National Cyber Crime Centre (NCCC) defended his police force’s actions, and insisted it was working hard to catch criminals and deter others from carrying out attacks.

Uche Ifeanyi Henry said his officers were “hitting criminals hard” and said it is “laughable” that anyone should accuse Nigeria of not taking sextortion crime seriously.

“We are giving criminals a very serious hit. A lot have been prosecuted and a lot have been arrested,” he said. "Many of these criminals are moving to neighbouring countries now because of our activity.”

The NCCC director pointed to the fact that the government has spent millions of pounds on a state-of-the-art cyber-crime centre, to show it was taking cyber-crime seriously, especially sextortion.

He said Nigerian teenagers are also being targeted, and he argued that the criminals were not just a Nigerian problem, with other sextortionists in south-east Asia. Tackling them would require global support, he said.

With that in mind, the director and his technical team are this week visiting the UK’s National Crime Agency, which last month issued a warning to children and schools about a rise in sextortion cases.

The visit is designed to improve collaboration on sextortion and other cyber-crime investigations. It follows similar recent meetings with Japanese police.

Meanwhile, Jenn Buta continues to campaign alongside Jordan’s father John DeMay. They regularly give advice to young people who may become victims.

Advice that Jenn and many law enforcement agencies regularly give people targeted by sextortionists includes:

. Remember you are not alone and this is not your fault

. Report the predator’s account, via the platform’s safety feature

. Block the predator from contacting you

. Save the profile or messages - they can help law enforcement identify and stop the predator

. Ask for help from a trusted adult or law enforcement before sending money or more images

. Co-operating with the predator rarely stops the blackmail and harassment - but law enforcement can

By Joe Tidy, BBC

Related story: Two arrested in Nigeria for sextortion after Australian boy's suicide

‘Nigerian scammer’ takes credit for bizarre Graceland auction scare

A self-described scammer based in Nigeria has taken credit for a bizarre, failed attempt to auction off Elvis’ iconic Graceland property.

Earlier this month, a mysterious company with little paper trail, Naussany Investments and Private Lending, contacted Promenade Trust, which controls the Memphis estate, claiming it owed millions for failing to repay a loan.

Riley Keough, Elvis’ granddaughter who inherited Graceland after her mother Lisa Marie Presley died last year, sued Naussany alleging its documents were falsified. She also asked a judge to block the Graceland auction. The judge granted her request, putting a pause on the sale, one day before it was set to be finalized.


On Tuesday, the apparent perpertrator of the scheme was revealed when The New York Times reported that an individual based in Nigeria with a Naussany-associated email address contacted them and took credit for it.

The individual said he and his associates typically scam the vulnerable and elderly. The Times also reported that the email was written in Luganda, a language spoken in Uganda. “We figure out how to steal,” the individual told The Times. “That’s what we do.”

Experts also told the Associated Press that scammers often target people’s assets after they’re dead. “It’s very difficult for someone to say, ‘Well, no, I didn’t take out this loan, I didn’t sign these papers,’ when they’re dead,” Mark Sunderman, a University of Memphis real estate professor, told the AP.

The Independent was unable to verify specific details about Naussany Investments and Private Lending due to a lack of public records and unreliable contact information listed online.

No representative for the company appeared at a recent hearing over Graceland, however Naussany filed court papers denying Ms Keough’s allegations and asked the judge for more time to prepare a defense in the case, the Times reports.

Nikos Passas, a Northeastern University criminology and criminal justice professor, also told the AP the scammers likely knew that successfully auctioning off Graceland was impossible.

“The chance of succeeding in what they were trying to do — that is, to get the property auctioned off and get the proceeds and then use the money — doesn’t seem to be the actual intent, unless they are incredibly stupid,” Dr Passas said. “So, the question is then, ‘What was the intent, and who was behind it?’”

By Katie Hawkinson, Independent

Related story: Two arrested in Nigeria for sextortion after Australian boy's suicide

Government of Nigeria asks Interpol to place three Nigerians on watchlist over Buhari's signature forgery

The special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu has requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to add three suspects to its watchlist for their alleged involvement in a $6,230,000 fraud.

The individuals in question are Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar, and Odoh Eric Ocheme.

The federal government has filed extradition charges against the trio for allegedly forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari and documents attributed to Boss Mustapha, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

These documents were purportedly used to facilitate the payment of $6,230,000 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), ostensibly intended for foreign election observers, The Cable reported.

On February 12, 2024, the special investigator wrote a letter requesting Interpol to issue a red notice for the three suspects.

The letter reads:

“In the course of the Special Investigator’s assignment, Mr. Odoh Eric Ocheme, (a staff of the CBN) now at large and the other two accomplices, also now at large, were discovered to have conspired and forged documents in the name of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria with which they stole about US$6,230,000 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars, in cash, from the coffers of the CBN.”

On January 18, 2024, Judge Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a warrant of arrest against the three suspects.

Former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele is also implicated in the alleged fraudulent payment of $6,230,000.

Mustapha stated on Tuesday that neither he nor former President Muhammadu Buhari authorized the disbursement of $6,230,000 to international election observers.

Mustapha testified as the second prosecution witness in the trial of Emefiele.

By Adekunle Agbetiloye, Business Insider Africa

Related stories: British-Nigerian hacker pleads guilty to $6m fraud in US court

Video - The Fall of the World's Flashiest Scammer Hushpuppi

Nigerian athlete Ashe arrested in America, to face theft and fraud charges

Nigerian athlete Favour Ashe was arrested on Thursday at his base in Alabama over multiple counts of theft and fraud, as stated by the Auburn Police and published by a Columbus-based media outlet (WTVM).

Favour, 21, who represented Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where he won a bronze medal alongside three other Nigerians in the 4×100m relay, recently transferred from the University of Tennessee to Auburn University, Alabama, whom he has been representing in the NCAA.

However, Ashe has been charged with four counts of fraudulent use of a debit/credit card and two counts of theft of property, third degree,” as stated by the media outlet.

In the police statement, it was stated that the victim of Ashe’s robbery at the 100 block of West Magnolia Avenue gave them the theft report on 4 February. Ashe allegedly amplified the offences by using the stolen cards for fraudulent transactions.

The authorities issued a $9,000 bond to Ashe and are currently holding him at the Lee County Jail.

According to Boldsports, Ashe is not the first Nigerian athlete to be arrested in recent times, as five other Nigerian athletes also faced similar issues in 2022.

BoldSports reported how five Nigerian athletes, Toluwani Adebakin, Emmanuel Ineh, reigning African Games 100m champion Raymond Ekevwo, Mercy Abire, and Aniekeme Etim, were indicted and charged with wire and mail fraud in the US.

Adebakin and Ineh had earlier both been convicted of fraud and faced a possible 10-year jail term after they pleaded guilty to “violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, for engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activities, collectively sending tens of thousands of illicitly obtained proceeds to fraudsters in Nigeria as part of a larger mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.”

Abire went on to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and risks 20 years in jail.

By Oluwaferanmi Omoniyi, Premium Times

Pastor in Nigeria arrested over allegedly swindling followers of $1m

A Nigerian pastor has been arrested over allegations he fraudulently got people to part with their money.

Theo O Ebonyi, well-known in Benue state, is accused of swindling his followers and others out of more than 1.3bn naira ($930,000; £740,000).

He was detained and freed on bail last year, but this has only just been made public, the anti-corruption authority spokesperson is quoted as saying.

Mr Ebonyi said the news was "fake" information spread by bloggers.

He did not comment on the allegations against him.

Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allege Mr Ebonyi asked his victims to pay a $1,300 fee each to access a $20bn grant from the US-based Ford Foundation.

It, however, says that the foundation did not offer such a grant.

"Investigations by the EFCC showed that the Ford Foundation had no arrangement, grant, relationship or business with Ebonyi," the agency said in a statement.

"The foundation pointedly disclaimed him and his NGO stressing that it had no link whatsoever with them."

The EFCC also alleges that Mr Ebonyi, who runs Faith on the Rock Ministry International church, used the fraudulently acquired funds to buy five properties.

He is set to be charged in court after the investigations are finalised, the EFCC says. It is still unclear exactly what charges he will face.

In a video statement Me Ebonyi posted on Facebook around the same time as the EFCC announced his arrest on X, he said the news of his detention had been made up by "bloggers... trying to use my body to make money... that is a very big fake news... it's not true".

But EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale told Punch newspaper that Mr Ebonyi was on bail having been arrested and then released last year.

"He had been arrested over a long period of time, but because of the investigation that we were doing, we did not issue any statements," the spokesperson is quoted as saying.

By Gloria Aradi, BBC

Related story: Dead evangelist TB Joshua accused of sexual abuse

YouTube shuts down prominent Nigerian megachurch preacher's channel for 'gay curing' claims

Video - Nigerian President Tinubu suspends humanitarian affairs minister

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has suspended the country's humanitarian affairs minister, Betta Edu, over her alleged involvement in corruption. President Tinubu has also ordered a thorough investigation to establish the accuracy and validity of the graft claims leveled against the minister.

CGTN

Related story: President Tinubu suspends humanitarian minister in corruption scandal