Nigerian men extradited to US for sextortion charges resulting in juvenile’s death :: WRAL.com
The FBI says two Nigerian men have been extradited to the
United States for a sextortion scam targeting children, including cases in
North Carolina.
Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26 and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, both
of Nigeria, were arrested in 2023 as part of a wider operation with the FBI to
apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the United States.
The FBI alleges the suspects pretended
to be a love interest for the juveniles and solicited lewd photos. After they
got the photos, they’d threaten to release them publicly unless they paid a
ransom.
“They use the threats that if they
don’t pay any of these extortion demands, they’ll release those compromising
photographs of the juveniles to their friends, family, the general public,
schoolmates and anyone else they can think of,” Reid Davis, FBI Special Agent
in Charge of North Carolina said. “The scammer turns from being a girlfriend
type of a figure to beginning to extort them for money.”
Davis says, in some cases, the
cases go from extortion to something more tragic.
Olawale’s most serious charge is
for sexual exploitation of minors resulting in death.
“We’ve seen a number of victims
who, after not paying up, go to extreme ends to commit suicide as their only
option out of the situation they’re in,” Davis said.
Davis said, parents should contact
them immediately if a situation like this occurs.
“In most instances, we can resolve
the matter,” Davis said. “It doesn’t have to result in the tragic situation
like the suicide of the child.”
The best way to avoid that type of
tragic outcome, Davis says, is to make sure there is an open, and trusting,
line of communication between parents and their children.
“Make sure there is a relationship
that, if your child is being scammed, they have the ability and confidence to
come to the parent about it,” Davis said. “And knowing, as parents, who your
child is communicating with.”
Davis says, if you never met the person
your child is communicating with, that’s a major red flag.
While these two men are Nigerian
nationals, Davis warns parents that the threat may be much closer to home.
“It’s happening all over the place
in every community across the country,” Davis said. “No juvenile is safe from
these types of acts. Anytime a scam is successful, more and more people will be
involved in them.”
Davis points to these arrests from
overseas as an indication of how seriously they take the threat.
“It’s not easy, but it’s certainly
within our realm to do so,” Davis said. “The latest two are just that; the
latest two. We’ve been successful over the last couple of years in bringing
back conspirators no matter where they’re at. These two happen to be from
Nigeria, but the long arm of the law will reach anywhere in the glove if you’re
targeting the nation’s youth.”
Olawale faces charges of sexual exploitation of minors
resulting in death, enticement of minors, interstate threatening communications
and distribution of child pornography.
Olawale faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and
mandatory minimum prison sentences on at least two charges. The child
exploitation resulting in death charge carries a minimum penalty of 30 years in
prison.
In Mississippi, Adekunle is charged with sexual exploitation
of a minor resulting in death. Coercion and enticement of a minor and
interstate threats with intent to extort. He too faces a maximum penalty of
life in prison and mandatory minimum prison sentences on at least two charges.
The child exploitation resulting in death charge carries a minimum penalty of
30 years in prison there.