A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, has pleaded guilty in the United States to his involvement in an international cybercrime operation involving sextortion, romance scams and money laundering.
The U.S. Department of Justice said the schemes affected approximately 150 American victims and generated more than $2.5 million in proceeds.
Shanu, who was extradited to the United States after being arrested in the United Kingdom, entered his guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.
According to prosecutors, Shanu and his associates used social media and false identities to establish contact with victims as part of their fraudulent operations.
In the sextortion scheme, the conspirators allegedly posed as women and persuaded male victims to send intimate photographs. They then threatened to share the images with the victims’ relatives and friends unless money was paid.
The group also allegedly operated romance scams in which fake online identities were used to develop deceptive emotional relationships with victims, including older men and women.
Millions of Dollars Laundered
Court documents cited by the U.S. Justice Department indicate that Shanu fraudulently obtained at least $2 million from the schemes.
The proceeds were allegedly moved through peer-to-peer payment platforms and multiple cryptocurrency wallets before being transferred to other members of the network in Nigeria.
The U.S. Secret Service traced a substantial portion of the financial activity to an account associated with Shanu, including transactions connected to the alleged $2.5 million operation.
The case involved victims in several parts of the United States, including an individual in Idaho, where the federal prosecution is taking place.
Sentencing Set for December
Shanu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The U.S. Justice Department said he is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2026, and could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The eventual sentence will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the applicable sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The prosecution followed an earlier indictment accusing Shanu of participating in multiple cyber-enabled offences, including sextortion, romance fraud, extortion, cyberstalking and money laundering. U.S. authorities said he was extradited to America after being arrested in London in November 2023.
