NIGERIAN MAN EXTRADITED TO US IN SEXUAL EXTORTION CASE LINKED TO PENNSYLVANIA TEEN’S DEATH

PHILADELPHIA A 26-year-old Nigerian national has been transferred to the United States to face charges for his alleged role in a sextortion operation that authorities say contributed to the death of a young man in Pennsylvania.

Afeez Olatunji Adewale arrived in the US and appeared before US Magistrate Judge Lynne A Sitarski in federal court in Philadelphia following his extradition on February 13 2026 He is the third Nigerian national extradited in connection with the case and faces charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering

According to the United States Department of Justice Adewale was apprehended in Nigeria on August 17 2023 during a coordinated operation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation aimed at dismantling sextortion networks targeting minors in the United States The extradition was facilitated with assistance from the Justice Departments Office of International Affairs the FBI Legal Attach in Abuja and FBI agents who took custody of him upon his arrival in the US

US Attorney David Metcalf credited Nigerian authorities for their significant role in facilitating the extradition He specifically acknowledged the efforts of Nigerias Attorney General of the Federation the Federal Ministry of Justices International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Investigators from the FBIs Philadelphia Field Office its Fort Washington Resident Agency and the Abington Township Police Department handled the case Assistant US Attorney Patrick Brown is leading the prosecution

Two of Adewales alleged accomplices were extradited earlier in August 2024 Imoleayo Samuel Aina 27 also known as Alice Dave and Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun 26 Abiodun later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud In June 2025 US District Judge Joel H Slomsky sentenced him to five years in prison

Aina admitted guilt to multiple charges including cyberstalking interstate threats to damage reputation receiving extortion proceeds money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud In October 2025 Judge Slomsky handed him a six year prison sentence

US authorities allege the defendants operated a sextortion scheme that targeted young American males Victims were allegedly manipulated into sending explicit images which were then used to threaten and extort money under the threat of public exposure The case is connected to the death of a young man in Pennsylvania

In recent years Nigeria has stepped up collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime particularly sextortion cases that have drawn widespread global concern In 2023 Nigerian nationals Samuel Ogoshi and Samson Ogoshi were extradited to the United States over accusations of sexually extorting several teenage boys including a 17 year old whose death was linked to the scheme

Similarly Olamide Shanu was extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States in 2025 for his alleged role in a sextortion network accused of defrauding victims of at least 2 million by posing as women online and threatening to release explicit content

This week Nigerian authorities in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from 15 other African nations announced the arrest of 651 suspected cybercriminals and the seizure of millions of dollars in assets during a coordinated international crackdown

Despite the allegations Adewale is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law