26-year-old Nigerian extradited to U.S. over sextortion scheme linked to teen’s death

A 26-year-old Nigerian, Afeez Olatunji Adewale, has been extradited to the United States to face charges in connection with an online sexual extortion scheme that resulted in the death of an American teenager.

According to a statement released Wednesday by U.S. authorities, Adewale was extradited on Friday, February 13, 2026, following his arrest in Nigeria in 2023 as part of a broader crackdown on cybercriminals targeting minors in the United States.

U.S. officials said Adewale was arrested on August 17, 2023, during a joint operation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Nigerian authorities aimed at dismantling sexual extortion networks.

“He was extradited to the United States on Friday, February 13, 2026, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and the FBI, who took him into custody,” the statement said.

The U.S. government acknowledged the critical role played by Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in facilitating the extradition.

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The case centers on Jack Sullivan, an American student who died by suicide after being targeted in an online sextortion scheme. Authorities allege that perpetrators coerced the teenager into sending explicit images and then threatened to distribute them unless he paid money.

Adewale is the third Nigerian national extradited to the U.S. in connection with the case.

In July 2024, two other suspects — Samuel Aina and Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun — were extradited after a Nigerian court approved their transfer to U.S. custody. They were subsequently charged with wire fraud and sexual extortion.

In December 2024, Abiodun pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud and was sentenced to five years in prison. Aina later pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, receiving proceeds of extortion, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud. He received a six-year prison sentence.

Adewale is facing charges related to sexual extortion and the death of the victim in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He made his initial court appearance on Tuesday.

U.S. authorities have intensified efforts in recent years to combat online sextortion schemes, particularly those targeting minors, warning that such crimes can have devastating consequences for victims and their families.

The extradition underscores growing cooperation between Nigerian and U.S. law enforcement agencies in tackling cross-border cybercrime and holding suspects accountable across jurisdictions.