Nigerian Cyberfraud Kingpin Arrested in India for Scamming Businessman of Over N233 Million

A Nigerian national has been arrested in India for allegedly orchestrating a cyber scam that defrauded a businessman of over ₹1.25 crore (approximately N233 million). Gabriel Onyeka, 41, was apprehended on May 19, 2025, from his residence in Kalyan, Maharashtra, by Indian cybercrime authorities. Officials say he is the mastermind of a sophisticated online fraud network.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Mayursinh Rajput, Onyeka posed as a senior executive of a well-known pharmaceutical company and targeted a civil engineer based in Vadodara, Gujarat. Under the guise of placing a large order for Plukenetia volubilis — a liquid used in Ayurvedic, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products — he lured the victim into a fake business deal.

Onyeka initially contacted the businessman via email, offering a dealership and bulk purchase opportunity. He then instructed him to buy the product from a supplier that turned out to be a fictitious firm operated by the accused himself. After the first transaction, accomplices of Onyeka met the victim, claiming to conduct quality checks, and convinced him to invest more money. Believing he would gain substantial profits, the businessman transferred a total of ₹1.25 crore through multiple payments.

The scam came to light when the victim reported the fraud, prompting investigators to track the mobile number used in the operation. Onyeka was found to have used the same number throughout the scheme. Four mobile phones were recovered during the arrest, one of which contained a WhatsApp screenshot linking him directly to the victim.

Further investigation revealed that Onyeka had been living illegally in India since 2012. He initially entered the country on a medical visa for treatment in West Bengal, but remained even after the visa expired, later relocating to Mumbai. In 2020, Mumbai police had already filed a case against him for overstaying his visa. He was residing in a 2BHK apartment on the 20th floor of a high-rise in Kalyan at the time of his arrest.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify other members of the cyber fraud network.