ABUJA, August 6, 2025 — A Nigerian national has been extradited to the United States to face charges in connection with a sophisticated cybercrime ring that defrauded individuals and businesses of millions of dollars through hacking, identity theft, and wire fraud.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Chinedu Obiora, was handed over to U.S. authorities in Abuja following months of joint investigations and diplomatic coordination between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, Obiora is alleged to be a key member of an international cybercrime syndicate responsible for breaching corporate emails, deploying phishing attacks, and orchestrating business email compromise (BEC) scams. These fraudulent operations reportedly targeted institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia, resulting in financial losses exceeding $12 million.
The indictment, filed in a U.S. District Court, outlines several counts including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, unauthorized access to protected computers, and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors allege that Obiora and his co-conspirators created fake email accounts to impersonate executives and vendors, manipulating company employees into transferring large sums of money into offshore accounts controlled by the syndicate.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria commended the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the extradition process, describing the move as a major step in strengthening bilateral efforts to combat transnational cybercrime.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed that Obiora had been under surveillance since 2023 and was arrested earlier this year in Lagos following intelligence from foreign cybercrime units.
“This extradition is a clear message to cybercriminals operating within and outside Nigeria that there is no hiding place for digital fraud,” an EFCC spokesperson stated.
Obiora is expected to make his initial court appearance in the United States later this week. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in federal prison.