The FBI says two Nigerian men have been extradited to the United States for a sextortion scam targeting children, including cases in North Carolina.

Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26 and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, 24, both of Nigeria, were arrested in 2023 as part of a wider operation with the FBI to apprehend sexual extortionists targeting minors in the United States.

Other WRAL Top Stories

The FBI alleges the suspects pretended to be a love interest for the juveniles and solicited lewd photos. After they got the photos, they’d threaten to release them publicly unless they paid a ransom.

“They use the threats that if they don’t pay any of these extortion demands, they’ll release those compromising photographs of the juveniles to their friends, family, the general public, schoolmates and anyone else they can think of,” Reid Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge of North Carolina said. “The scammer turns from being a girlfriend type of a figure to beginning to extort them for money.”

Davis says, in some cases, the cases go from extortion to something more tragic.

Olawale’s most serious charge is for sexual exploitation of minors resulting in death.

“We’ve seen a number of victims who, after not paying up, go to extreme ends to commit suicide as their only option out of the situation they’re in,” Davis said.

Davis said, parents should contact them immediately if a situation like this occurs.

“In most instances, we can resolve the matter,” Davis said. “It doesn’t have to result in the tragic situation like the suicide of the child.”

The best way to avoid that type of tragic outcome, Davis says, is to make sure there is an open, and trusting, line of communication between parents and their children.

“Make sure there is a relationship that, if your child is being scammed, they have the ability and confidence to come to the parent about it,” Davis said. “And knowing, as parents, who your child is communicating with.”

Davis says, if you never met the person your child is communicating with, that’s a major red flag.

While these two men are Nigerian nationals, Davis warns parents that the threat may be much closer to home.

“It’s happening all over the place in every community across the country,” Davis said. “No juvenile is safe from these types of acts. Anytime a scam is successful, more and more people will be involved in them.”

Davis points to these arrests from overseas as an indication of how seriously they take the threat.

“It’s not easy, but it’s certainly within our realm to do so,” Davis said. “The latest two are just that; the latest two. We’ve been successful over the last couple of years in bringing back conspirators no matter where they’re at. These two happen to be from Nigeria, but the long arm of the law will reach anywhere in the glove if you’re targeting the nation’s youth.”

Olawale faces charges of sexual exploitation of minors resulting in death, enticement of minors, interstate threatening communications and distribution of child pornography.

Olawale faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and mandatory minimum prison sentences on at least two charges. The child exploitation resulting in death charge carries a minimum penalty of 30 years in prison. 

In Mississippi, Adekunle is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death. Coercion and enticement of a minor and interstate threats with intent to extort. He too faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and mandatory minimum prison sentences on at least two charges. The child exploitation resulting in death charge carries a minimum penalty of 30 years in prison there.