Authorities in Argentina have arrested a Nigerian national, identified as Ikechukwu N., for allegedly masterminding multiple international romance scams that defrauded thousands of victims.
The suspect, who had been on the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) wanted list, was captured in a joint operation by the Argentine Federal Police and the Airport Security Police.
According to a statement released by INTERPOL, the arrest represents Argentina’s first-ever detention of a Red Notice 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,” INTERPOL said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
The operation was conducted under Operation Jackal, an INTERPOL-coordinated initiative targeting West African organised criminal groups, with support from INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), Brazil’s Federal Police, and other partners.
INTERPOL added that the Silver Notice, introduced in January 2025, is part of a global effort to help law enforcement agencies trace and recover criminal assets linked to transnational fraud and money laundering.
Ikechukwu’s arrest is seen as a major success in the global crackdown on cyber-enabled romance frauds, which have left victims in financial and emotional distress across several continents.
