A 49-year-old Nigerian national has been arrested in India for his alleged involvement in an international cyber fraud syndicate. The syndicate reportedly creates fake profiles of United States and United Kingdom citizens to deceive victims under the pretext of sending expensive gifts, luxury items, and foreign currency.
Arrest and Recovery
The suspect, identified as Uchenwa, was apprehended by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Friday, May 15, 2026, from a residence in Khanpur, South Delhi. He is accused of defrauding a Lucknow resident of approximately Rs 68 lakh. Uchenwa had been residing in Delhi for several years. During the arrest, law enforcement officials recovered three mobile phones and four SIM cards from his possession.
Modus Operandi
According to STF officials, the gang creates fake profiles of US and UK citizens on social media platforms to befriend Indian men and women. Victims are emotionally manipulated and later duped under the pretext of receiving expensive gifts, foreign currency, and luxury items shipped to India. Subsequently, victims are contacted by individuals posing as customs or income tax officials, who demand payments for customs duty, GST, income tax, or clearance charges to release the supposed gifts.
Investigation and Complaint
The investigation commenced after a man from Daliganj, Lucknow, filed a complaint alleging he was cheated of around Rs 68 lakh by the gang. The complainant stated that in August 2025, he received a friend request on Facebook from a woman identifying herself as 'Doris William', purportedly from England. After developing an emotional connection, the woman claimed she would visit India carrying pounds worth nearly Rs 3 crore.
Later, the victim received calls from individuals posing as customs officials, stating that the foreign woman had been detained at Delhi airport for carrying a large amount of foreign currency. The victim was instructed to pay Rs 61,500 as customs clearance charges via a UPI account provided by the accused. After the initial payment, the fraudsters repeatedly demanded money under various pretexts. The victim transferred nearly Rs 40 lakh to multiple accounts. Subsequently, another fraudster posing as a remittance officer allegedly persuaded him to transfer an additional Rs 28 lakh. The fraudulent transactions continued until January 2026, when the victim realized he had been deceived and approached the police.
Operation and Arrest
The STF stated that the cyber team launched an operation under the supervision of ASP Vishal Vikram Singh. Through technical surveillance and informer inputs, the authorities eventually traced and arrested the accused in Delhi. During interrogation, Uchenwa admitted that he came to India in 2010 for a garment business but later turned to cyber fraud after suffering financial losses.
