11 Nigerians Arrested in Japan Over $998K Romance and Investment Scams
In a significant international effort, 11 Nigerian nationals were arrested for their involvement in a series of romance and investment scams targeting victims in Japan. The arrests were made following an extensive investigation led by the Japanese National Police Agency (NPA), which revealed that the fraud operations resulted in losses totaling 150 million yen (approximately $998,000).
Between March 2022 and September 2023, victims in five Japanese prefectures — Gifu, Kagawa, Oita, Nagasaki, and Okinawa — were deceived by scammers posing as military personnel, doctors, and even celebrities on social media platforms, including Facebook. These scammers cultivated relationships with victims, eventually convincing them to send money for supposed customs fees related to sending luggage for marriage purposes, or to invest in fake schemes.
The NPA confirmed that these operations were part of an international fraud network, with the suspects reportedly operating out of Nigeria. This marks the first time foreign suspects linked to social media-based scams have been apprehended overseas in connection to frauds affecting Japan.
Through careful investigation, the NPA traced the stolen funds, which had been converted into cryptocurrency. They identified that at least 56 million yen (around $372,000) had been funneled through Nigerian bank accounts belonging to 13 individuals. This information was shared with Nigerian authorities via the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), leading to the arrests of the 11 suspects between May and December 2024.
The arrested individuals, mostly in their 20s and 30s, allegedly admitted to using the stolen funds for real estate investments and other personal expenses. Additionally, police in Japan have been cracking down on local account holders involved in laundering the criminal proceeds, with nine suspects already detained for concealing the illicit funds.
This case highlights the growing threat of online fraud schemes and the international collaboration necessary to combat them. The NPA has continued to emphasize the importance of vigilance when engaging with unknown contacts on social media platforms and investment schemes.
