Kash Patel, the Federal Bureau of Investigation director, says the agency’s crackdown on international fraudsters has led to the extradition of 235 fraudsters from Nigeria and other countries.
The FBI director disclosed this in an interview with FOX News on Wednesday.
“I’m in the field, engaging with local partners. I made 100 phone calls to our international partners in 18 months, returned a record extradition and foreign transfers of fugitives to America—235—that’s a 60 per cent increase in fugitive returns,” Mr Patel said.
The FBI Czar said the increase in extraditions and the return of fugitives to America to face trial was due to his efforts, including follow-up on 100s of calls with local partners.
Recently, the FBI and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced a collaboration to probe the theft and mismanagement of USAID funds in Nigeria.
The FBI, in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, secured the extradition of a couple of Nigerian internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Boys in recent times.
In May, Samuel Ugberease, aka ‘Putsammy’, an internet fraudster, was extradited to the U.S. for alleged romance scams, wire fraud, and other financial crimes.
In August, two Yahoo Boys, Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus Adekunle, were extradited to the U.S. for child exploitation and sextortion.