Sextortion: U.S. Extradites Two Nigerians After Three-Year Manhunt

Two Nigerian nationals accused of running financially motivated sextortion schemes targeting American minors have been extradited to the United States after a three-year international manhunt.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26, and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, were transferred from Nigeria to the United States on August 27, 2026, following their arrests in Nigeria in August 2023 during an FBI operation targeting sextortion networks.

The suspects are now facing federal charges in separate cases, with some of the offences carrying potential life imprisonment if they are convicted.

Adekunle, a resident of Lagos, is accused of participating in the financially motivated sextortion of a minor in Mississippi. The alleged exploitation was followed by the victim’s death.

He faces charges including sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats made with intent to extort.

Olawale is separately accused of sextorting two minors in North Carolina, including a case involving the death of one of the alleged victims.

The U.S. authorities said both suspects appeared before federal courts after arriving in the country.

FBI-led Operation Artemis

The cases emerged from Operation Artemis, an FBI initiative targeting financially motivated sextortion networks allegedly operating from Nigeria and other locations.

As part of the operation, FBI personnel, analysts and forensic specialists worked in Nigeria to identify suspects, collect evidence and dismantle networks accused of targeting minors in the United States.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the government would continue pursuing foreign-based criminal networks involved in financially motivated sextortion and child exploitation.

FBI Director Kash Patel also said the operation demonstrated the agency’s commitment to pursuing alleged offenders regardless of where they operate.

According to the Justice Department, Adekunle and Olawale had remained outside the United States for about three years after being indicted, while American investigators continued working with Nigerian authorities to secure their transfer.

The U.S. government acknowledged the assistance of Nigerian authorities, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The cooperation eventually enabled FBI personnel to travel to Nigeria and take the suspects into U.S. custody.

Sextortion cases linked to teenage deaths

The Mississippi investigation involved the FBI’s Jackson Field Office, its Violent Crimes Against Children Section and International Operations Division, alongside the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.

The North Carolina case was investigated by the FBI’s Greensboro Resident Agency in Charlotte and the Surry County Sheriff’s Office.

U.S. authorities described sextortion as a serious crime that can cause devastating psychological and emotional harm to victims and their families.

The FBI has linked investigations into financially motivated sextortion to numerous deaths by suicide among American teenagers, prompting increased efforts to combat the crime domestically and internationally.

The extradition underscores the growing cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in tackling cyber-enabled crimes, particularly offences involving the exploitation of children.

It also highlights the international nature of online crime, where suspects can allegedly operate from thousands of kilometres away while targeting victims through digital platforms.

Adekunle and Olawale face severe penalties if convicted. The sexual exploitation resulting in death charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The U.S. Department of Justice, however, stressed that the charges are allegations and that both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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