Nigerian Men Extradited to US on Sextortion Charges Linked to Teen Deaths

Extradition and Charges

Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26, and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, were extradited from Nigeria to the United States. They face charges related to sextortion schemes that resulted in the deaths of two minor victims in Mississippi and North Carolina. Both men were arrested in Nigeria in August 2023.

Operation Artemis

Their arrests were part of "Operation Artemis," a joint international law enforcement initiative. This operation focuses on dismantling sextortion rings operating from Nigeria that target minors in the United States. The FBI stated that this effort demonstrates a commitment to pursuing individuals who harm vulnerable Americans.

Specific Allegations

Adekunle is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats with intent to extort. Olawale faces charges including sexual exploitation of minors, coercion and enticement of minors, and distribution of child pornography. The child exploitation resulting in death charge carries a minimum penalty of 30 years in prison.

Sextortion Defined

Sextortion involves online blackmail where criminals threaten to leak nude images or videos obtained through hacking or coercion. Perpetrators may also sell stolen content or share victims' personal information to further pressure them for more private images and videos. The FBI has previously warned about the increasing prevalence of such schemes targeting both children and adults.

Law Enforcement Warnings

The FBI issued warnings earlier this month about cybercriminals targeting social media accounts to steal explicit content for blackmail. In September 2021, the FBI also noted a significant increase in sextortion complaints, advising victims to contact law enforcement immediately and cease all interaction with the criminals.