Suspected members of Nigeria-linked Black Axe crime gang arrested in Switzerland

Suspected members of the Nigerian-linked Black Axe crime gang have ​been arrested in Switzerland accused of ‌involvement in romance scams and cyberfraud, Europol said on Tuesday.

Black Axe grew out of ​a student fraternity in the late ​1970s called the Neo Black Movement ⁠of Africa, and it has since ​evolved into a structured, violent criminal organisation ​often dealing in financial cybercrime.

"The suspects are accused of numerous crimes. This includes romance scams ​and other cyberfraud offences causing millions ​of Swiss francs in damages, as well as ‌money ⁠laundering," said Europol, which is headquartered in The Hague, in a statement.

The pan-European police body said 10 people - most ​of whom ​are of ⁠Nigerian origin - had been arrested in the operation that ​also involved German police.
The Swiss operation ​against ⁠the Black Axe crime gang follows a similar operation carried out by Spanish ⁠police ​in January, while global ​police body Interpol had also targeted it in ​2023.

Reuters

Police arrest Nigerian man over $550,000 scam targeting American woman

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a suspect over an alleged $550,000 cyber fraud targeting an American woman.

The suspect, identified as Emwanta Smith, was arrested on 26 March in Benin City, Edo State, by operatives working through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau Abuja, the police said.

In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon, said the arrest followed a four-day intelligence-led operation conducted between 23 March and 26 March after a formal complaint by the victim.

The police said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect allegedly posed as high-ranking government officials and other prominent figures to gain the victim’s confidence.

He was said to have subsequently persuaded her to transfer funds via cryptocurrency channels over the period from October 2025 to January 2026.

“Investigations revealed that the suspect used false identities of notable personalities to deceive the victim and induce payments via digital currency platforms,” Mr Okon said.

He said proceeds of the alleged fraud were traced to the acquisition of five vehicles and an uncompleted building in Benin City, which have now been secured as exhibits.

He also disclosed that counterfeit cash valued at $10,000 was recovered from the suspect at the time of arrest.

Mr Okon said investigations are ongoing and reiterated the police’s commitment to tackling cybercrime, particularly schemes that exploit cross-border anonymity and digital financial systems.

Pattern of scams targeting Americans

In July 2020, PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Nigerian police arrested a suspected internet fraudster, Chukwuebuka Obiaku, who allegedly lured an American woman to Nigeria under the guise of marriage and extorted $48,000.

Some cases have had fatal consequences. In October 2023, a US citizen died by suicide after losing his life savings to a romance scam carried out by a network of fraudsters, including Nigerians based in the US and Nigeria.

In February this year, a Nigerian, Afeez Adewale, was extradited to the US to stand trial for offences, including sexual extortion, wire fraud and a death linked to the scheme.

Earlier, in April 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it arrested 22 Nigerian cyber fraud suspects accused of sexually blackmailing and extorting minors in the US.

Edo State has featured prominently in several high-profile cyber fraud cases.

In September 2023, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) handed over a three-bedroom semi-detached duplex in Edo State to American victim Cheryldene Cook, who was scammed by Aisosa Ohue after paying N104 million in a romance scam.

In May 2025, the EFCC traced $30,000 in laundered funds from the activities of an internet fraudster in Auchi, Edo State

By Ekemini Simon, Premium Times

Related stories: Court convicts two Chinese nationals for cyber-terrorism, N3.4bn fraud

Alleged ‘Fake Prince’ Arrested in Nigeria as Another Apparent Victim of the Romance Scam Comes Forward

Alleged ‘Fake Prince’ Arrested in Nigeria as Another Apparent Victim of the Romance Scam Comes Forward

Within a week of the release of an OCCRP documentary exposing an online fraud operation, Nigerian authorities arrested a man allegedly involved in the scheme, while another apparent victim of the same scam came forward in Romania.

In last month's documentary, Exposed: Fake ‘Dubai Prince’ Tracked to Nigeria, reporters identified Nzube Henry Ikeji, 31, who was afterwards taken into custody. Charges have not been filed, a spokesman for Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crime Commission told OCCRP.

Ikeji’s arrest came nearly a week after the video revealed how he allegedly posed as the real-life Crown Prince of Dubai, cultivating a romance that defrauded $2.5 million from Laura, a Romanian businesswoman.

A second apparent victim of the scam came forward to OCCRP's Romanian member center Context.ro after watching the documentary. Ana, who is also Romanian, presented Context.ro with documents indicating she was targeted by the same operation that left Laura in debt.

Both women were first contacted on LinkedIn by someone posing as the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and claiming to represent a humanitarian foundation affiliated with the royal family of the United Arab Emirates.

Communications provided by the women show that Ana first heard from the fake prince in October 2022, while he reached out to Laura a month later. Both were offered and accepted “an official vip humanitarian membership permit” for the sum of 7,748 UAE dirhams, which was paid out as 1,850 euros ($2,112).

It is common for romance scammers to impersonate the Crown Prince of Dubai in a variation of the classic romance scam, which involves an impersonator cultivating an online relationship with a victim with the goal of milking them for as much money as possible before they realize they’ve been swindled.

In the case of both Laura and Ana, identical email addresses with similar messages and fake royal membership cards were used, indicating they were victims of the same group of scammers. Laura is a first name and Ana is pseudonym, as both victims wish to remain anonymous out of embarrassment.

Ikeji could not be reached for comment on the latest allegations involving Ana. An email bounced back undelivered, while his previous lawyers did not respond to a request for comment. Message to his WhatsApp did not deliver. He previously told reporters that he did not scam Laura or anyone else, and alleged that OCCRP’s documentary was a “targeted plan” to destroy his reputation.

The woman whom Context.ro identifies as Ana said she was invited by the fake prince to apply for a job at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the humanitarian foundation launched by the actual crown prince’s father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Laura, meanwhile, was asked by a fake prince to help MBRGI invest millions of dollars in humanitarian aid in Romania.

Neither of the opportunities were real. After they paid 1,850 euros for “official vip humanitarian membership permit” cards, both received messages saying their cards had been granted, but required another payment to be activated. Ana paid another 10,550 euros ($12,045), while Laura paid 12,550 euros ($14,328).

A fake prince had earlier steered their communications to Skype and later to WhatsApp, where he cultivated romances with them.

He told Ana that he wanted to visit her in Romania, but it would require Ana transferring 42,000 euros ($47,951). When Ana refused to send more money that she did not have, the fake prince texted her: “Now you’ve lost me and the 13,000 euros you have paid.”

While Ana stopped at that point, Laura continued deeper into the scam, exchanging thousands of messages over two years with the fake prince and even meeting his “financial manager” in London to facilitate opening a bank account.

By Marionela Toma, OCCRP

Related stories: Nigerian extradited to US for sextortion, death of an American

Nigerian man handed 76-year sentence in sextortion of B.C. boy

Nigerian extradited to US for sextortion, death of an American

A Nigerian, Afeez Adewale, appeared before the US federal court in Philadelphia on Tuesday after he was extradited from Nigeria for his involvement in a wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy that led to the death of a young American.

He was extradited from Nigeria last Friday by Federal Bureau of Investigation representatives in Nigeria, who had taken him into custody since August 2023.

Mr Adewale is charged with the sexual extortion and death of a young US citizen in the eastern district of Pennsylvania, according to a statement by the US Department of Justice.

“Adewale is charged by indictment with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy,” the statement disclosed.

The department also noted that Mr Adewale, who was arrested in Nigeria in August, is part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists who target minors in the US.

Two members of his team had been extradited from Nigeria and sentenced in 2024. The department identified the two as Imoleayo Aina, also known as “Alice Dave,” and Samuel Abiodun.

They were extradited to the US in August 2024.

Mr Abiodun pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud and was sentenced to five years in prison. While Mr Aina pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, receiving proceeds of extortion, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud, and was sentenced to six years in prison.

The US Justice Department also said the extradition, through the “support and assistance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), months after his arrest, was essential to this effort.”

It also said “Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department” provided support.

This is the latest case of a Nigerian extradited to the US for cyber fraud.

Nigeria’s first extradition treaty with the US was signed by the colonial government in 1931.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that in 2023, two Nigerians, Samuel Ogoshi and Samson Ogoshi, were extradited to the US from Nigeria after they were indicted for sexually extorting numerous teenage boys in Michigan.

Another case was reported in 2019 involving 56-year-old Adedeji Adeniran, who was extradited to the Northern District of Florida.

One notable high-profile extradition from Nigeria to the US involved Fatade Olamilekan, who was extradited in July 2022 to face charges related to a $3.5 million fraud scheme.

Mr Olamilekan had been on the FBI’s wanted list for allegedly stealing over $3.5 million worth of equipment and had his extradition coordinated by the EFCC.

By Beloved John, Premium Times

Related story: How sextortion scammers in Nigeria targeted my son

Court convicts two Chinese nationals for cyber-terrorism, N3.4bn fraud

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday convicted two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, on cyber-terrorism and a N3.4 billion fraud charges.

The convicts, alongside one Friday Audu, were among a syndicate of 792 fraudsters arrested for cryptocurrency, investment and romance fraud on 19 December 2024 in Lagos.

They were arrested during a surprise operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) operatives.

Some of the suspects had been convicted and sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment in separate trials last year.

On Wednesday, trial judge Daniel Osiagor convicted Haoyou and Hongxu after they changed their pleas from “not guilty” to “guilty” during Wednesday’s proceedings.

The judge imposed cumulative 46 years’ imprisonment on each of the two convicts, according to a statement by the prosecution agency, EFCC, on Wednesday.

The statement did not disclose the breakdown of the sentences attracted by each of the offences of which they were convicted. That would have revealed the maximum number of years the convicts would spend in prison, since the prison terms on imposed on them for each charge are likely to run concurrently.

But the statement said the judge gave the convicts an option of a N56 million fine.

He also ordered that they undertake three days of community service and be repatriated to their home country after serving their sentences.

The case was adjourned until 29 April, for the continuation of trial of the third defendant, Friday Audu, who maintained his plea of not guilty.

Plea reversal

Messrs Huanthe g and Hongxu were arraigned alongside Mr Audu and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 on seven counts of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud and money laundering.

The charges involve N3,407,824,740.78 and $2,562,203 allegedly traced to the syndicate.

At the resumed hearing on 11 February, lawyer to the first and third defendants, Bridget Omateno, informed the court that Messrs Huang and Hongxu wished to change their pleas.

When the charges were re-read, both defendants pleaded guilty, while Mr Audu maintained his earlier plea.

Following the plea change, prosecution lawyer Bilikisu Bala-Buhari urged the court to impose the maximum penalty of life imprisonment on counts one to three and 14 years on counts four to seven.

The court subsequently convicted and sentenced the two men.

The offences

According to the EFCC, the defendants conspired in 2024 to access computer systems in a manner capable of seriously destabilising Nigeria’s economic and social structures.

They were accused of recruiting and employing Nigerian youths to falsely pose as foreign nationals on online platforms to defraud unsuspecting victims through cryptocurrency investment scams and romance fraud.

The offences contravene Sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), as well as provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The EFCC also alleged that between August and December 2024, the defendants retained N3.4 billion in a Union Bank account belonging to Genting International Co. Ltd., knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.

The anti-graft agency said the defendants were among 792 suspected cybercrime operatives arrested on 19 December 2024, during a coordinated operation in Lagos codenamed “Eagle Flush.”

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said investigations revealed that Mr Audu incorporated Genting International Co. Ltd. at the directive of Mr Huang to facilitate the alleged fraudulent scheme.

Forfeiture

The court ordered the forfeiture of items recovered from four properties in Victoria Island and Ikoyi to the Federal Government.

Recovered items include 1,596 mobile phones, 43 computer systems, 194 routers, a network server, thousands of SIM cards, 126 air-conditioning units, generators, vehicles, office furniture, mattresses and bunk beds.

Bail to defendant

Earlier in the proceedings, Mr Osiagor granted Mr Audu bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties, one of whom must be a serving director and property owner with verifiable title documents deposited in court.

However, bail was denied to the two Chinese nationals prior to their guilty pleas after the EFCC argued that they were flight risks and key figures in the alleged syndicate.

By Emmanuel Agbo, Premium Times

Related story: Epstein wanted to trade in Nigeria’s crude oil, but feared being defrauded

Microsoft seizes websites linked to Nigeria-based phishing

Microsoft said on Tuesday that it seized 338 websites linked to a Nigerian-based service that allowed users to carry out phishing campaigns

The service, called "Raccoon0365," allowed users to engage in phishing campaigns that involved thousands of emails at a time, according to Steven Masada, assistant general counsel for Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit.

The phishing operation ended up stealing at least 5,000 Microsoft user credentials.

Phishing is a cybercrime in which criminals impersonate trustworthy domains to deceive users into revealing sensitive information like passwords or banking details.

How did the phishing scheme work?

Raccoon0365 operates through a private Telegram channel with over 850 subscribers.

The service enables users to impersonate trusted brand names and get targets to enter Microsoft login details on fake Microsoft platforms. According to Microsoft's Masada, the service has generated at least $100,000 (€84,425) in cryptocurrency payments for its operators since launching in July 2024.

Raccoon0365 users targeted a wide range of industries, a significant number of which are organizations based in New York City, Masada said.

How did Microsoft seize Raccoon0365?

According to Masada, Microsoft identified what it said was a Raccoon0365-related effort using tax-themed phishing emails to target more than 2,300 organizations, mostly in the US, in February this year, according to a company blog posted in April.

Earlier this month, Microsoft obtained an order from the US District Court in Manhattan to seize domains associated with Raccoon0365. The seizure of the websites occurred over a period of days earlier this month.

"Cybercriminals don't need to be sophisticated to cause widespread harm," Masada said. "Simple tools like Raccoon0365 make cybercrime accessible to virtually anyone, putting millions of users at risk," he added.

Raccoon0365 operators used Cloudflare services to help conceal the service's backend infrastructure. Cloudflare worked with Microsoft and the US Secret Service to take down Raccoon0365 operations and prevent the operators from establishing new accounts.

Blake Darche, the head of threat intelligence at Cloudflare, said that while Raccoon0365 operators made some operational security mistakes, they were highly effective.

"They're in people's accounts, they compromise lots of people, and it needs to obviously be stopped," he said.

By Hauwau Samaila Mohammed, DW

Nigerian man handed 76-year sentence in sextortion of B.C. boy

Nigeria’s financial crimes agency says a man who tried to blackmail a Surrey, B.C., teenager by posting his intimate images online has been sentenced to prison terms totalling 76 years.

RCMP have said that the boy’s sudden death in 2023 came after he fell victim to “financial sextortion.”

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says in social media posts that Olukeye Adedayo faced 18 charges, including possession and distribution of child pornography, attempted extortion by threats and money laundering.

It says Adedayo set up an Instagram account using the boy’s name to distribute the images, which the RCMP said the 14-year-old thought he sent to a teenage girl in an online interaction that was over within minutes.

The Nigerian agency says Adedayo pleaded not guilty to all counts but a judge convicted him of all charges and sentenced him last Thursday.

However, the agency said the 18 sentences are to run concurrently, suggesting the longest sentence he’ll serve is seven years for each of four counts of obtaining property under false pretences.

The commission says the prosecution witnesses included a sergeant with the RCMP Serious Crime Unit.

By Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press

Related story: FBI nabs Nigerian over teen sextortion, gets five years

FBI nabs Nigerian over teen sextortion, gets five years

A Nigerian national, Samuel Abiodun, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in the United States after pleading guilty to his role in an online sextortion scheme that led to the death of a teenage boy.

Abiodun, 25, was arrested in Nigeria alongside an accomplice, Afeez Aina, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and extradited to the US in July 2024. He was sentenced on Tuesday by Judge Joel Slomsky of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

According to US Attorney David Metcalf, Abiodun served as a financial middleman in a network that targeted and extorted vulnerable young people online, with devastating consequences.

Speaking on the role Abiodun played in the conspiracy, Metcalf said, “As the financial middleman, Abiodun played a key role in this sextortion scheme, which thoroughly traumatised the victim and then devastated his family.”

“These scammers’ sole aim is to get money from scared and vulnerable young people, with absolutely no regard for their feelings or the potential fallout. In prosecuting this case, we are bringing to justice the men whose actions resulted in truly indelible harm”.

Abiodun pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. Prosecutors said his role was pivotal in channelling the extorted funds from victims to the perpetrators in Nigeria.

His co-accused, Aina, pleaded guilty last month to cyberstalking, interstate threats, and receiving proceeds of extortion, among other charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on 11 August and faces up to life in prison.

A third suspect, Afeez Adewale, has also been charged but remains in Nigeria, pending extradition.

The US Department of Justice praised the collaboration of Nigerian authorities, including the Attorney General’s office, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for their role in apprehending the suspects.

“This case shows the reach of US law enforcement,” Metcalf said. “If you target Americans online from abroad, we will find you — and you will be brought to justice.”

The victim, whose identity was withheld, died by suicide after being targeted in the online sextortion plot.

By Kareem Azeez, The Guardian

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

Nigeria Launches National Cybercrime Team with Commonwealth, UK Support

Nigeria has officially launched its National Cybercrime Working Group (NCWG), aimed at strengthening the country’s response to digital threats. The initiative was developed with support from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Kingdom.

The NCWG will coordinate efforts across Nigeria’s law enforcement, regulatory, and security agencies to tackle cybercrime more effectively. It also aligns with the country’s National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy, reinforcing its commitment to combat online criminal activity.

The launch is part of a broader Commonwealth cybercrime initiative that helps member countries improve legal and technical frameworks to address cyber threats.

By Aayushya Ranjan, Tech Africa News

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

Nigeria, China crack down on Chinese nationals in financial crimes

Nigeria and China said this week they will cooperate in efforts to crack down on the increasing number of Chinese nationals taking part in financial crimes in the African country.

The joint effort comes after Chinese Ambassador Yu Dunhai visited Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, in Abuja.

In a statement posted to the EFCC website Tuesday, Dunhai expressed regret over the rising trend of Chinese nationals engaged in financial crimes in Nigeria.

He assured Nigerian authorities that the Chinese government is ready to send delegates to work with local law enforcement agencies to address the issue.

At the same time, Dunhai urged authorities to protect the rights of Chinese citizens while investigations are conducted.

Since November, Nigerian authorities have arrested at least 400 Chinese nationals suspected of cybercrime, telecom fraud and illegal mining. Many of them are facing trial.

But Nigerian political analyst Chukwudi Odoeme warned that China’s influence over the process could undermine the rule of law.

“The collaboration looks good, but then the relationship between Nigeria and China is something that is suspicious in this particular arrangement,” Odoeme said. “The collaboration may be defeated in the sense that China will have undue influence, and it may even lead to political release of those persons instead of subjecting them through the criminal trial system in Nigeria.”

China is Nigeria’s largest trading partner by value, with trade totaling $5 billion in 2023.

In the first quarter of last year, Chinese companies provided 23% of Nigeria’s total imports.

Critics argue that Chinese nationals are exploiting trade routes and immigration loopholes to enter Nigeria illegally and engage in criminal activities.

Authorities say many of the arrested Chinese nationals were found to be living in Nigeria without proper documentation.

Public affairs analyst Jaye Gaskia raised concerns about the transparency of the collaboration.

“On what basis are you going into this collaboration? For what purpose?” he asked. “The conversations around trying to develop such collaborative strategies also need to be transparent, so that citizens will be able to interrogate the process to see whether national interest is going to be somehow undermined.

“We have to be careful, and we have to ensure who does the prosecution,” Gaskia said. “The best-case scenario is for the country not to cede its own sovereignty in terms of how this is going to happen.”

Nigeria’s debt to China exceeds $5 billion — more than the bilateral loans owed to all other countries combined.

Meanwhile, Nigeria is seeking China’s backing to join the grouping of the world’s 20 largest economies, the G20, and secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

But political analyst Rotimi Olawale believes the debt should not influence how Nigeria handles criminal cases.

“I don’t think that the debt we owe China, $5 billion, will affect anything,” Olawale said. “That’s government-to-government relations. The most important thing is that the case should not be politicized. We must clearly define our rules and uphold our laws.”

Previously, Nigeria’s parliament called for the mass deportation of illegal Chinese migrants.

By Timothy Obiezu, VOA

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

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

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Almost 800 arrested over Nigerian crypto-romance scam

Data Blackout in Nigeria, Weeks After Statistics Website Hacked - Bloomberg

Key data on the Nigerian economy remains inaccessible, nearly three weeks after the nation’s statistics agency shut down its website after it had been hacked.

The National Bureau of Statistics website provides a convenient online portal to key economic gauges for Africa’s top oil producer. The agency closed the site on Dec. 18, while warning against using any information posted on it until it was fully restored.

The lack of access to the website is raising concern ahead of the scheduled publication of December inflation data, due in mid January. The release is an important input for the Central Bank of Nigeria’s first policy meeting for 2025 on Jan. 27-28.

The statistics agency has already failed to publish its report online on capital flows into the Nigerian economy in the third quarter of 2024, as well as an update on outstanding local and foreign debt for the same period.

The NBS website also houses decades of economic data, all of which are currently unavailable, and its X account that also served as an additional information channel, has not posted since it announced the hack.


A day before the website was taken down, the statistics agency published its 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, which showed that Nigerians paid an estimated 2.3 trillion ($1.5 billion) as ransom in 12 months, and that 65% of households had been affected by kidnapping incidents.

A spokesman for the agency did not respond to requests for comment.

While details of the attack were not revealed, and there has been no halt in the agency’s operations, economists warn that the website blackout risks derailing access to critical data.

“The delay is giving us a lot of concern, a lot of researchers rely on data from the agency as that one source that is authentic and considered genuine,” said Uchenna Uwaleke, professor of capital markets at Nasarawa State University, Keffi. “There’s a limit to data you can disseminate via press releases.”

Bloomberg

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

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Video - Nigeria’s central bank unveils new guidelines to combat cybercrime

The Central Bank of Nigeria introduced the 0.005% cybercrime levy targeting banks and telecommunications companies. The government said money raised from the levy will help strengthen defenses against digital threats. In 2023, Nigerian banks lost more than 5.9 million U.S. dollars to cyber fraud.

CGTN

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

Two brothers from Nigeria were sentenced Thursday to 17 1/2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually extorting more than 100 young men and teenage boys across the United States, including a Michigan high school student who died by suicide, prosecutors said.

Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, each pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to exploit teenage boys sexually and were later extradited from Nigeria to the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan. They were accused of running an international sextortion ring in which they posed as young women and targeted over 100 victims, including at least 11 minors.

Prosecutors said the Ogoshis conducted their sextortion scheme while living in Nigeria, where they bought hacked social media accounts and used them to lure victims with fake profiles. The scheme resulted in the death of 17-year-old high school student, Jordan DeMay, in March 2022.

DeMay died from a self-inflicted gunshot at his home in Marquette, Michigan, after he was blackmailed by Samuel Ogoshi, according to court records.

"To criminals who commit these schemes: you are not immune from justice. We will track you down and hold you accountable, even if we have to go halfway around the world to do so," U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement. "And to parents, teenagers, and everyone who uses a cell phone: please, please be careful. These devices can connect you to criminal networks around the world. Don’t assume people are who they say they are. Don’t share compromising images. And if you’re a victim, please reach out."

Financial sextortion schemes have spiked in recent years with scammers lurking on social media, pretending to be attractive women and persuading men to send nude or suggestive photographs and videos. They then use the compromising imagery to blackmail the victim by threatening to post it on social media or send it to the victim's loved ones in exchange for cash.
 

Ogoshi brothers created collages of victims' personal photos

Prosecutors said the Ogoshis used their fake social media profiles to message victims. They researched online about the victims to learn where they lived, worked, attended school, and to find out the identities of victims' families and friends.

The Ogoshis then solicited sexually explicit images from their minor victims and created a collage of photographs that included the compromising image with other photos of the victim and their school, family, and friends. The two brothers "threatened to disclose the collages to the family, friends, and classmates of the victim unless the victim agreed to pay money using online cash applications," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The Ogoshis "used and shared scripts and ideas of how to extort money from the victims," according to court records. A script excerpt showed an example:

"Hey, I have screenshot all ur followers and tags and those that comment on ur post. I can send this nudes to everyone and also send your nudes Until it goes viral….All you’ve to do is to cooperate with me and I will not expose you," an indictment reads.
 

Michigan teen blackmailed with sexually explicit image for $1K

The Ogoshis used an Instagram account under the username "dani.robertts," according to court records. On March 25, 2022, Samuel Ogoshi used the account to target DeMay.

Court records show that Samuel Ogoshi solicited a sexually explicit image from DeMay and then threatened to share the image to the teen's social media followers, and his family and friends if he didn't pay $1000. After DeMay only paid $300, Samuel Ogoshi made more threats to send the compromising photo to DeMay's family and friends.

DeMay then messaged that he was going to kill himself, according to court records. Message excerpts included in court records show Samuel Ogoshi responding with "Good," "Do that fast," and "Or I’ll make you do it."

Prosecutors said Samson Ogoshi used the same Instagram account to target a 21-year-old who lived in Warrens, Wisconsin.
 

Sextortion schemes operated on international scale

A June report, released jointly by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and technology nonprofit Thorn, found that teenage boys are often the primary target in these schemes. The report also identified Nigeria as one of the countries most often tied to sextortion schemes.

Those involved in the schemes are also linked to large crime networks or smaller coordinated networks. Reuters reported in July that Meta Platforms, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, had removed about 63,000 accounts in Nigeria that attempted to engage in sextortion schemes mostly aimed at adult men in the U.S.

Federal authorities have warned that sextortion schemes are a "growing threat preying upon our nation’s teens." From October 2021 to March 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations received more than 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors.

According to the FBI, these schemes involved at least 12,600 victims, who were primarily boys, and resulted in at least 20 suicides.

If you or someone you know is or could be a victim of online sexual violence, including sextortion, organizations like the National Sexual Violence Resource Center are here to help survivors and their loved ones. Visit NSVRC.org for help and support.

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.

By Thao Nguyen, USA Today 

Related story: How sextortion scammers in Nigeria targeted my son

Black Axe Mafia of Nigeria dealt a big blow by Interpol

Police units around the world have joined forces in a series of covert operations targeting one of West Africa’s most feared criminal networks - Black Axe.

Operation Jackal III saw officers in body armour carry out raids in 21 countries between April and July 2024.

The mission, co-ordinated by global policing agency Interpol, led to the arrest of 300 people with links to Black Axe and other affiliated groups.

Interpol called the operation a “major blow” to the Nigerian crime network, but warned that its international reach and technological sophistication mean it remains a global threat.

In one notorious example, Canadian authorities said they had busted a money-laundering scheme linked to Black Axe worth more than $5bn (£3.8bn) in 2017.

“They are very organised and very structured,” Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, told the BBC.

According to a 2022 report by Interpol, “Black Axe and similar groups are responsible for the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud as well as many other serious crimes”.

Mr Kaya said innovations in money-transfer software and cryptocurrency have played into the hands of group, which are renowned for multi-million dollar online scams.

“These criminal syndicates are early adopters of new technologies… A lot of fintech developments make it really easy to illegally move money around the world,” he said.

Operation Jackal III was years in the making and led to the seizure of $3m of illegal assets and more than 700 bank accounts being frozen.

Many Black Axe members are university educated and are recruited during their schooling.

The organisation is a secretive criminal network with trafficking, prostitution and killing operations around the world.

Cyber-crime, targeting individuals and businesses, is the organisation's largest source of revenue.

Multiple so-called “Jackal” police operations have taken place since 2022.

Dozens of Black Axe and other gang members have been arrested and their electronic devices seized during these transnational raids. This work has enabled Interpol to create a vast intelligence database, which is now shared with officers throughout its 196 member countries.

“We need to have data and to collate our findings from these countries to help build a picture of their modus operandi,” said Mr Kaya.

Despite multiple international arrests, some experts feel not enough is being done to address the root of these crime syndicates in West Africa.

“The emphasis must actually be on prevention not on outright operations against these criminal groups,” said Dr Oluwole Ojewale, West Africa Regional Co-ordinator from the Institute for Security Studies.

Nigeria, which has witnessed widespread anti-corruption protests in recent weeks, is one of Africa’s largest economies, but has as many as 87 million people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. It is also the main recruitment ground for Black Axe.

Interpol said it was carrying out training exercises with key Nigerian stakeholders and police officials. But corruption, and allegations of collusion between Black Axe and local authorities, remain major obstacles.

“It is the politicians who are actually arming these boys,” said Dr Ojewale. “The general failure of governance in the country has made pressures for people to be initiated [into Black Axe].”

Despite its current global reach, Interpol’s Jackal Operations have their origins in Ireland.

Following a series of police raids by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) in 2020, a handful of Black Axe members were arrested, paving the way for the exposure of a far wider network.

“They were very under the radar, very low-key,” said Michael Cryan, detective superintendent at the GNECB, which led the operation.

“The amount of money being laundered through Ireland was astronomical,” he added.

The police subsequently identified 1,000 people with links to Black Axe in Ireland and have made hundreds of arrests for fraud and cyber-crime.

“Bank robberies are now done with laptops - they’re far more sophisticated,” said Det Supt Cryan.

He estimates €200m ($220m; £170m) have been stolen online in Ireland in the past five years, and that only accounts for the 20% of cyber-crimes that are believed to be reported.

“This is not typical or ordinary crime… People who make decisions need to know how serious this is,” he said.

Irish police operations in November 2023 revealed that cryptocurrency - which can be sent rapidly between digital wallets around the world - is becoming an integral element in Black Axe’s money-laundering operations.

More than €1m in crypto-assets were seized during one operation.

Interpol has deployed its own new technology in an attempt to tackle these innovations, launching the Global Rapid Intervention of Payments system (I-GRIP).

The mechanism, which enables the authorities in member countries to freeze bank accounts around the world with unprecedented speed, was used to halt a $40m scam targeting a Singaporean business last month.

Interpol's Mr Kaya said technology like this would make it harder for criminals to move money across borders with impunity.

A major effort is under way to gather and share intelligence on Black Axe and other West African syndicates by police around the world.

“If we can gather this data we can take action,” he said.

By Charlie Northcott, BBC

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