Nigerian extradited to US for fatal sextortion of minor

A Nigerian, Adebola Adekunle, indicted for the sextortion of a minor, has been extradited from Nigeria to the United States to face prosecution.

The US Department of Justice said Mr Adekunle was extradited from Nigeria to the US to face prosecution for the financially motivated extortion of a minor in Mississippi, which led to the victim’s death.

In a statement on Monday, the US State Department said Mr Adekunle was arrested in Nigeria in 2023 and extradited three years later.

He was “arrested in Nigeria in August of 2023, as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the US and extradited on Thursday, August 27, 2026.”

The agency also noted that Mr Adekunle is facing a three-count federal indictment for the “sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, the production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats with intent to extort.”

He appeared before a federal court in Oxford, Mississippi, for an initial appearance last month.

According to the Department of State, Mr Adekunle is facing up to life in prison, and mandatory minimum prison sentences on at least two charges.

“The child exploitation resulting in death count carries a mandatory 30-year prison sentence, if found guilty of that charge,” it said.

“Several weeks ago we announced an undercover operation dealing with child exploitation, which resulted in 70 arrests. Unfortunately, here we are again in an unrelated child victimisation case. This time a child died,” US Attorney Scott Leary said.

This is the latest US sextortion case involving Nigerians. Many Nigerians have been extradited to America for sexual extortion schemes and cybercrimes, including wire fraud and money laundering.

In February 2026, Afeez Adewale was extradited from Nigeria to the US over his alleged involvement in a sextortion scheme that authorities said contributed to the death of a young American man.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that he was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

In May, a Nigerian identified as Samuel Ugberase was extradited for his role in a romance scam and money laundering scheme.

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Mr Ugberase was accused of using online romance scams to deceive victims into sending money under false pretences.

Prosecutors said he and his co-conspirators, who include a naturalised Nigerian, Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule, used fake identities, fabricated stories and false promises to manipulate victims.