A Nigerian nationwide recognized as Ikechukwu N. has been arrested in Argentina for allegedly orchestrating a number of on-line romance scams concentrating on 1000’s of victims throughout a number of nations, based on a press release launched by INTERPOL on Tuesday.
The arrest was made below Operation Jackal, an INTERPOL-led operation specializing in West African organised prison teams concerned in cyber fraud, cash laundering, and associated transnational crimes.
INTERPOL introduced through its official X deal with that Ikechukwu’s arrest marked Argentina’s first arrest of a fugitive below a Crimson Discover who was concurrently listed within the organisation’s Silver Discover database — a brand new undertaking geared toward tracing and recovering prison belongings worldwide.
The assertion learn: “Argentine authorities have captured Nigerian nationwide Ikechukwu N., marking the nation’s first arrest of a #RedNotice fugitive who was additionally the topic of an INTERPOL Silver Discover. The suspect is accused of orchestrating a number of romance scams involving 1000’s of girls, and main a global cybercrime community.”
INTERPOL added that the arrest was collectively carried out by the Argentine Federal Police and the Airport Safety Police, with help from the INTERPOL Monetary Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), the Federal Intelligence Secretariat (FIS), and INTERPOL Brazil.
The Silver Discover undertaking, piloted in January 2025, allows member nations to share intelligence on the placement and restoration of illicitly acquired belongings linked to transnational crime.
Though particulars of the victims and whole monetary losses stay undisclosed, the operation is a part of a broader worldwide crackdown on cyber-enabled fraud schemes traced to West African syndicates.
Nigeria has been a focus of comparable investigations. In December 2024, the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) introduced the arrest of 792 suspects — together with overseas nationals — linked to a crypto-romance fraud ring working from Lagos.
The syndicate reportedly focused victims within the Americas and Europe by way of social media and messaging platforms, promising relationships and pretend funding alternatives earlier than defrauding them.
INTERPOL stated additional investigations into Ikechukwu’s actions are ongoing, with cooperation anticipated between Argentine authorities, Nigerian legislation enforcement, and different worldwide companions concerned in Operation Jackal.
