A Nigerian individual arrested in the Philippines for cyber fraud is wanted in the United States

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported in a statement on Monday, October 28, 2024, that a Nigerian national who was wanted in the US for cyber fraud had been taken into custody in Quezon City, Philippines.

Months after being placed on the immigration blacklist for evading justice, Ahmed Kamilu Alex, 35, was apprehended by the BI fugitive search unit (FSU) on October 11 at Panay Avenue in Barangay Paligsahan, according to Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alex and two other conspirators allegedly created fake websites that imitated official US government entities as part of a cyber fraud scheme, according to Viado.

According to reports, the suspects were able to charge their gullible victims—most of whom are military personnel—between US$500 and US$48,500 as payment for allegedly completing their emergency leave requests via the phony websites.

In order for Alex to be tried for his crimes, the US government asked that he be deported. While awaiting deportation procedures, he is now being held by Immigration in Taguig City’s Camp Bagong Diwa.

“Once he is deported, he will be placed on our immigration blacklist and prohibited from returning to the Philippines,” the BI stated.