A Nigerian national, Samuel Ugberaese, has been extradited from Nigeria to the United States to face federal charges bordering on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy in an alleged cross-border romance scam that targeted victims in the US and other countries.
According to a press release issued by the US Department of Justice on Tuesday, Ugberaese was arrested by the FBI following his extradition and is facing prosecution in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against him on January 22, 2021, and he has been ordered detained pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge Brian S. Myers.
“The FBI arrested Samuel Ugberaese after he was extradited from Nigeria to the United States on charges relating to cross-border romance scams that targeted victims in the United States and elsewhere,” the DOJ stated.
It further added that Ugberaese and his alleged co-conspirators used deceptive romance schemes involving false stories and promises to induce victims into transferring funds.
