FULL LIST: FBI arrests 11 Yahoo Nigerians over $600 million scam

Some Nigerian Internet fraudsters otherwise known as Yahoo Boys have been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over their involvement of over $600 million in money laundering, mail and wire fraud conspiracy.

According to a report, they indicted 11 Nigerians for defrauding elderly victims in “romance” schemes.

According to the court document, the defendants preyed on elderly victims, many of whom were widows or divorced.

This is as the FBI estimated that more than 20,000 people lost more than $600 million in “romance” scams in 2020 alone.

They are said to have made rich widows, divorced persons, and elderly ladies the target of their “romance” scam.

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They were arrested by the FBI during a raid on Wednesday in various parts of the United States including DFW, Eastern District of Texas, Dallas, Lubbock, Los Angeles and charged in the Northern District of Texas.

Those arrested and later charged to court are:

(1) David Animashaun, 38;

(2) Oluwalobamise Michael Moses, 40;

(3) Irabor Fatarr Musa, 51;

(4) Ijeoma Okoro, 31;

(5) Chukwemeka Orji, 36;

(6) Emanuel Stanley Orji, 35;

 (7) Frederick Orji, 37;

(8) Uwadiale Esezobor, 36;

(9) Victor Idowu, 36;

(10) Afeez Abiola Alao, 37;

(11) and Ambrose Sunday Ohide, 47.

The indicted persons face up to 30 years in federal prison for charges against them if they are eventually convicted.

Speaking on the act, Acting U.S. Attorney, Prerak Shah at a press conference that the crimes, “are especially despicable because they rely not only on victims’ lack of internet savvy, but also, their isolation, their loneliness, and sometimes their grief.

“As the victims open their hearts, the perpetrators open their wallets. The only mistake these victims make is being generous to the wrong people.”

According to data by the FBI, more than 20,000 people lost more than $600 million in romance scams in 2020 alone.

Meanwhile, the United States government gathers over 2,700 electronic files as part of the evidence for trial in the $1.1million fraud case involving the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

New evidence was disclosed in over 6,700 pages are being processed by prosecutors on the fraud case.

U.S. prosecutors along with three of the six indicted defendants in the fraud case have asked the U.S. District Court for Central California to postpone trial from October 2021 to 17 May 2022.

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