Argentina Nabs Nigerian Fugitive Wanted by INTERPOL for Global Romance Scams

Argentine authorities have arrested a Nigerian national, Ikechukwu N., in what has been described as the country’s first-ever capture of a fugitive listed on both INTERPOL’s Red Notice and Silver Notice. The suspect is believed to be the mastermind behind a series of romance scams that defrauded thousands of victims and allegedly led a major international cybercrime network.

The arrest took place under Operation Jackal, an INTERPOL-led operation focused on dismantling West African organized criminal groups involved in online fraud, money laundering, and related crimes. The operation was jointly executed by Argentina’s Federal Police (@PFAOficial) and the Airport Security Police (@seguridadpsa), with technical support from the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), the Financial Intelligence Secretariat (FIS), and INTERPOL Brazil.

INTERPOL’s Silver Notice, a new initiative introduced in January 2025, is designed to help countries trace and recover criminal assets linked to transnational crimes. Ikechukwu N.’s capture marks a significant step in international efforts to combat cyber-enabled fraud networks with roots in West Afr theica.