Nigerian fugitive arrested in Argentina over international cybercrime, romance scams

Argentine authorities have arrested a Nigerian national, Ikechukwu N., who was wanted by INTERPOL for leading an international cybercrime network and organizing multiple romance scams that defrauded thousands of women.

INTERPOL announced the arrest on its official X handle on Tuesday.

According to the agency, this is Argentina’s first-ever arrest of a fugitive who was the subject of both a Red Notice and a Silver Notice.

“The suspect is accused of orchestrating multiple romance scams involving thousands of women, and leading an international cybercrime network,” INTERPOL stated.

The operation, code-named Operation Jackal, was coordinated by INTERPOL and specifically targeted West African organized criminal groups.

The arrest was carried out by Argentina’s Federal Police (PFA) and Airport Security Police, with assistance from IFCACC, FIS, and INTERPOL Brazil.

INTERPOL explained that the Silver Notice pilot project, which began in January 2025, is designed to help countries trace and recover assets linked to criminal activities.

The agency hailed the arrest as a significant success in global law enforcement collaboration and in its ongoing efforts to dismantle transnational criminal networks exploiting digital platforms for fraud.