A Nigerian man identified as Ikechukwu N. has been arrested in Argentina for allegedly masterminding multiple online romance scams and leading a global cybercrime network, INTERPOL confirmed on Tuesday.
The arrest was made under Operation Jackal, an international operation coordinated by INTERPOL targeting West African organised crime groups involved in cyber fraud, financial scams, and human trafficking.
According to INTERPOL, Ikechukwu was one of the most wanted fugitives flagged under its Red Notice – a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. He was also listed under the Silver Notice, a pilot project launched in January 2025 to help countries trace and recover assets linked to international crimes.
In a statement shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, INTERPOL wrote:
“Argentine 🇦🇷 authorities have captured Nigerian national Ikechukwu N. 🇳🇬, marking the country’s first arrest of a #RedNotice fugitive who was also the subject of an INTERPOL Silver Notice.
The suspect is accused of orchestrating multiple romance scams involving thousands of women, and leading an international cybercrime network.”
The arrest was made by Argentina’s federal police (@PFAOficial) and airport security forces (@seguridadpsa), with the support of INTERPOL Brazil, the Financial Intelligence Services (FIS), and the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC).
Ikechukwu is believed to have operated online romance scams by targeting women through fake social media profiles, gaining their trust, and then tricking them into sending money. Victims are said to be from multiple countries, with the total value of losses running into millions of dollars.
Law enforcement agencies say the suspect was not acting alone, but was at the helm of a wider West African cybercrime syndicate using fake identities and international money transfers to hide stolen funds.
This arrest marks a major success in global efforts to combat online fraud and cybercrime. INTERPOL has pledged to continue working with national police forces across continents to track down suspects and recover assets from criminal enterprises.
Authorities have yet to confirm when Ikechukwu will be extradited or face trial. Investigations into his network are ongoing.
