The Nigeria Police Force has handed over alleged cyber fraud kingpin Samuel Ugberease, widely known by his online aliases “PutSammy”, “Putput” and “Sammy”, to authorities in the United States to face prosecution for a sprawling romance scam and related financial crimes.

According to the Force, the extradition was coordinated through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja after a lengthy cross-border investigation involving Nigerian, American and South African law enforcement agencies. Ugberease had been living in South Africa before his arrest and transfer to Nigeria to answer to the US request.

Police spokesperson DCP Anthony Placid said investigators linked Ugberease to a sophisticated criminal network that, between 2014 and 2018, allegedly targeted women in the United States, with a concentration of victims in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The group is accused of creating elaborate fake personas and profiles on dating and social networking platforms, cultivating long-term online relationships and then exploiting victims’ trust.

Once emotional bonds were established, the syndicate allegedly fabricated crises and business emergencies, persuading victims to send large sums of money for supposed medical bills, investment opportunities or urgent travel needs. In one documented case, Ugberease is accused of helping defraud a single victim of more than 1.5 million dollars, channelled through a web of bank accounts designed to disguise the origin and destination of the funds.

Placid explained that the proceeds of the alleged fraud were laundered through multiple financial institutions, with accounts opened and controlled by members of the network to receive, layer and disperse the illicit gains. Investigators say this structure was intended to frustrate tracing efforts and obscure the money trail.

Ugberease’s arrest followed an INTERPOL Red Notice requested by US authorities. He was intercepted by INTERPOL operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after arriving from South Africa. Nigerian prosecutors then initiated extradition proceedings at the Federal High Court in Lagos, which granted the application under the country’s Extradition Act.

The Nigeria Police Force said the case underscores its growing use of INTERPOL databases, joint investigations and intelligence-led operations to tackle cyber-enabled crime. It pledged continued cooperation with foreign partners to disrupt transnational fraud networks and protect potential victims of online scams worldwide.