Authorities in america have commenced the prosecution of a Nigerian nationwide, Olamide Shanu, who was extradited from the UK over his alleged function in cyber-enabled schemes involving sextortion, romance scams, and wire fraud by means of which he “obtained a minimum of $2 million.”
The U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace introduced that Shanu, 34, of Lagos, Nigeria, made his preliminary court docket look on Wednesday earlier than U.S. Justice of the Peace Decide Debora Ok. Grasham within the District of Idaho. Performing U.S. Legal professional Justin Whatcott disclosed the event in a press release final week.
Shanu faces an eight-count indictment together with wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identification theft, conspiracy to commit interstate communications with intent to extort, cyberstalking, conspiracy to commit extortion, cash laundering conspiracy, extortion, and interstate communications with intent to extort.
Authorities in London had arrested Shanu on November 7, 2023, based mostly on the indictment filed in Idaho, and he had remained incarcerated within the UK till his extradition to the U.S.
In response to court docket paperwork, Shanu and his accomplices allegedly posed as ladies on social media platforms to lure male victims into sending sexually specific photos. The indictment additional alleges that when obtained, the conspirators threatened to launch the pictures to buddies and family members except the victims paid cash.
The indictment claims that the scheme focused quite a few victims throughout the U.S., together with a university pupil in Idaho. It additional alleges that the group additionally engaged in romance scams, laundering the proceeds by means of peer-to-peer cost platforms and cryptocurrency wallets earlier than transferring funds to Nigeria.
Prosecutors say Shanu fraudulently obtained a minimum of $2 million by means of the schemes.
If convicted, he faces as much as 20 years in federal jail and could also be required to pay restitution to the victims.
Performing U.S. Legal professional Whatcott expressed appreciation to the U.S. Division of Justice’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs, the U.S. State Division, and the UK’s Nationwide Crime Company for his or her help within the arrest and extradition.
“We’re grateful for the worldwide cooperation that introduced the defendant earlier than justice,” he said.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Boise Police Division, with prosecution being led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sean Mazorol, alongside Pc Crime and Mental Property Part (CCIPS) Trial Legal professional Vasantha Rao.
Prosecutors emphasised that an indictment is barely an allegation and that every one defendants stay presumed harmless till confirmed responsible past an affordable doubt in a court docket of regulation.
The put up US begins prosecution of Nigerian extradited from UK for $2 million fraud, sextortion appeared first on Vanguard News.
