A U.S. federal court has sentenced a 25-year-old Nigerian man, Samuel Abiodun, to five years in prison for his role in a sextortion scheme that tragically resulted in the death of a teenage boy.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, David Metcalf, Abiodun was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Joel Slomsky after pleading guilty to money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud in December 2024.
Abiodun, along with his accomplices Afeez Adewale and Samson Aina, was arrested in Nigeria by the FBI and extradited to the United States in July 2024.
Advertisement
To order your copy, send a WhatsApp message to +1 317 665 2180
The trio was formally charged the following month.
Metcalf explained that Abiodun acted as a financial conduit in the extortion ring, which targeted vulnerable youth online and used explicit images to extort money, ultimately leading to the death of one young victim.
“As the financial middleman, Abiodun played a key role in this sextortion scheme, which traumatised the victim and devastated his family,” Metcalf said.
“These scammers have no regard for the emotional or psychological impact of their actions — they are only after money.
“This case sends a clear message: the U.S. Department of Justice will reach across borders to bring perpetrators to justice.”
Abiodun’s co-defendant, Samson Aina, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to multiple charges, including cyberstalking, threatening to injure reputation across state lines, receiving extortion proceeds, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud. Aina is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11 and could face up to life in prison.
Meanwhile, a third suspect, Afeez Adewale, remains in Nigeria.
He has been charged in absentia with money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud and is awaiting extradition.
Metcalf praised the Nigerian government’s cooperation in facilitating the extradition of Abiodun and Aina, acknowledging the support of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“This international partnership was critical to holding these individuals accountable,” he added.
