Nigerian National Arrested for Defrauding Indian Businesswoman in Chemical Export Scam

A Nigerian man has been arrested in Navi Mumbai for allegedly defrauding an Indian businesswoman of Rs 3.5 lakh in a chemical export scam. The accused, identified as Adolphus Uche Onuma, a resident of Kharghar, was apprehended by the police on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

The victim, a businesswoman dealing in chemicals, received an email on January 26 offering a business opportunity in the United Kingdom. Believing the offer to be legitimate, she transferred Rs 3.05 lakh to an account provided by the sender. However, after making the payment, the woman was unable to contact the company and soon realized that she had been scammed. She then filed a complaint at the Matunga police station.

During the investigation, authorities traced a phone number linked to the crime to Kharghar, leading to the arrest of Onuma. Upon interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the scam. Further inquiries revealed that Onuma and his associates had been involved in similar fraud cases not only in Mumbai but also in Andhra Pradesh’s Mudinepalli and Gujarat’s Changodar regions.

The accused was presented in court, where he was granted six days of police custody. The investigation also uncovered the involvement of other members of the gang, and the police have launched a special operation to locate and apprehend the remaining suspects.