Nigerian man Olamide Shanu pleads guilty in US $2.5m sextortion, romance fraud targeting 150 Americans

A 35-year-old Nigerian, Olamide Shanu, has pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiracy to commit money laundering linked to international sextortion and romance fraud schemes that targeted about 150 Americans.

According to Vanguard, US prosecutors said Shanu made more than $2.5 million from the schemes, with victims suffering millions of dollars in losses.

Court documents said Shanu and his co-conspirators obtained sexual images from male victims before threatening to expose them unless they paid money. The group also allegedly used fake identities to defraud victims in romance scams.

Shanu, extradited from Nigeria, faces up to 20 years in prison and will be sentenced on December 15.