Washington D.C., USA – A United Kingdom-based Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, is facing up to 20 years in a U.S. federal prison after being extradited to the United States over his alleged involvement in a $2 million online fraud scheme.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced in an official statement on Thursday that the 34-year-old Lagos State native was arraigned on Wednesday before a U.S. Magistrate Court. Shanu is charged with participating in a sophisticated scheme involving wire fraud, cyberstalking, identity theft, and extortion.
Charges and Allegations
According to the DoJ, Shanu was indicted on an eight-count charge, including:
Wire fraud conspiracy
Aggravated identity theft
Cyberstalking
Conspiracy to commit interstate communications with intent to extort
Money laundering conspiracy
Extortion
Conspiracy to commit extortion
Interstate communications with intent to extort
Sextortion Scheme
Federal prosecutors allege that Shanu and his co-conspirators posed as women on various social media platforms to lure unsuspecting male victims—primarily in the United States—into sending explicit images of themselves. Once the images were obtained, the suspects allegedly threatened to share the photos with the victims’ friends and families unless they paid money.
“According to the indictment, Shanu and his conspirators posed as females on social media and persuaded their victims, typically males, to send sexual images of themselves. The conspirators then threatened to distribute the images unless payments were made,” the DoJ stated.
Victims of the alleged “sextortion” scam included individuals across the U.S., including a college student in Idaho. The indictment further claims that the group laundered the proceeds from the extortion via cryptocurrency wallets.
Financial Scope and Potential Penalty
The Department of Justice estimates that Shanu fraudulently obtained at least $2 million through the scheme. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison, in addition to restitution payments to compensate victims for their financial losses.
“An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the DoJ emphasized.
Ongoing Trend of International Cybercrime Cases
This case follows a growing list of extraditions involving Nigerian nationals linked to cyber-enabled financial crimes. On August 6, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, a France-based Nigerian, also faced extradition to the U.S. in connection with a separate $819,000 fraud case involving wire fraud, identity theft, and hacking of tax preparation firms in multiple states.
The U.S. government continues to work with international partners to combat cross-border cybercrime, with officials emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy toward digital extortion and financial fraud.
