Nigerian Pleads Guilty to $2.5 Million Sextortion and Romance Scam Targeting 150 Americans

A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, has entered a guilty plea in the United States District of Idaho for his role in a sophisticated, multi-million-dollar international cyber fraud network.

According to court documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Shanu admitted to conspiracy to commit money laundering linked to twin operations of romance fraud and sextortion that targeted approximately 150 victims across the United States. Investigators revealed that the syndicate amassed over $2.5 million through calculated online manipulation.

The network’s operations relied on two primary vectors of digital extortion and deception. In the sextortion ring, conspirators targeted male victims, coaxing them into sharing intimate images before threatening to expose the content to family and friends unless substantial ransoms were paid. Simultaneously, the romance scam operation deployed fake social media personas to entrap vulnerable older men and women, cultivating false emotional relationships and fabricating urgent financial emergencies to siphon funds.

U.S. law enforcement agencies detailed that the criminal proceeds were systematically laundered through peer-to-peer applications and various cryptocurrency wallets, ultimately routing back to co-conspirators based in Nigeria. Following intensive tracking by the U.S. Secret Service and local investigators, Shanu was extradited from Nigeria to stand trial.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva emphasized that the case highlights the Department of Justice’s aggressive stance under its Cyber-Enabled Scam Initiative. Shanu’s sentencing has been scheduled for December 15, where he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars.