A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, has pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with international romance and sextortion fraud schemes that allegedly targeted about 150 Americans.
According to US prosecutors, Shanu and his co-conspirators generated more than $2.5 million from the schemes, which resulted in millions of dollars in losses for victims.
Court documents revealed that the suspects targeted male victims through sextortion scams, allegedly convincing them to send intimate images before threatening to share the images with their friends and relatives unless they paid money.
The group also allegedly operated romance scams using fake identities on social media. They established relationships with victims, including older men and women, before requesting money for supposed emergencies and other urgent needs.
Prosecutors said the proceeds were laundered through peer-to-peer payment platforms and cryptocurrency wallets before being transferred to co-conspirators in Nigeria.
US authorities described the case as an international cyber-enabled fraud operation and said the prosecution demonstrates their commitment to pursuing individuals involved in such schemes regardless of where they operate.
Shanu was extradited from Nigeria to the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The US Secret Service and Boise Police Department are investigating the case.
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