A 20-year-old r-old Nigerian has been apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly masterminding an elaborate fraud scheme targeting victims in the United States, with losses reportedly exceeding N1 billion.
The suspect was intercepted by operatives of the Airport Police Command’s Anti-Fraud Unit while attempting to leave the country, the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Adeola, confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
Adeola explained that the arrest followed months of intelligence-led surveillance, linking the suspect to multiple transnational fraud operations.
Investigations indicated that the suspect, who relocated from Calabar to Lagos on February 23, 2024, orchestrated several schemes aimed at defrauding U.S. citizens.
According to the police, one of the alleged victims, a 47-year-old American woman, was duped into transferring $1 million under the guise of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage.
The transaction was reportedly facilitated through a cryptocurrency platform known as “BullRun 2.0,” formerly “4 Way Mirror Money.”
Another victim, a 70-year-old American woman, was allegedly defrauded of $18,000 (approximately N26 million).
The suspect is said to have instructed the victims to purchase gift cards, high-end smartphones, and computer equipment, which were then shipped to Nigeria.
Police further alleged that the suspect impersonated a 60-year-old orthopedic surgeon affiliated with the United Nations, claiming the devices were needed to maintain secure communication with the victims.
Items recovered from the suspect include a 14-inch MacBook Pro, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, two Google Pixel 10 Pro XL phones, and one Google Pixel 10 Pro, valued at an estimated N8.1 million.
The Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Olufunke Ogunbode, reiterated the command’s commitment to preventing criminal elements from exploiting airports as escape routes, highlighting the importance of intelligence-driven policing.
ASP Adeola confirmed that the suspect and the case file have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit for further investigation, after which he will face prosecution in court