By Ado Oyeyemi
A United States District Court has sentenced a 27 year old Nigerian, Afeez Olatunji Adewale, to five years imprisonment for his involvement in a sextortion and money laundering scheme linked to the death of an American teenager.
The sentence was handed down on Friday by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania after Adewale pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud.
The US Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, David Metcalf, announced that the convict would serve a 60 month prison term followed by three years of supervised release.
According to Metcalf, Adewale was arrested in Nigeria on August 17, 2023, during a joint operation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation targeting suspects accused of carrying out sexual extortion against victims in the United States.
He disclosed that the Nigerian was extradited to the US in February 2026 through the cooperation of American and Nigerian authorities before being arraigned.
Adewale later pleaded guilty to the charges in April this year.
Reacting to the sentencing, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Wayne Jacobs, said the conviction demonstrates that criminals cannot avoid justice by operating from outside the United States.
He noted that the successful prosecution was made possible through extensive investigations and collaboration among local and international law enforcement agencies.
Jacobs reiterated the FBI’s commitment to tracking down individuals involved in online exploitation regardless of where they are located, adding that the agency would continue to pursue justice for victims and their families.
The Chief of the Abington Township Police Department, Patrick Molloy, also commended the coordinated efforts of investigators and prosecutors, describing the offence as a devastating crime.
He expressed sympathy for the victim’s family, saying no legal outcome could erase the pain they have endured despite the successful prosecution of those responsible.
US authorities disclosed that Adewale was the last of three Nigerian nationals convicted in connection with the sextortion case.
One of his co defendants, Samuel Abiodun, was sentenced to five years imprisonment in June 2025 after pleading guilty to money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud.
Another accomplice, Imoleayo Aina, also known as Alice Dave, admitted guilt to charges including cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, receiving proceeds of extortion, money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud.
He was sentenced to six years imprisonment in October 2025.
Metcalf said the arrests, extradition and convictions of the suspects send a strong message that the US Department of Justice will continue to pursue individuals involved in sextortion and online exploitation regardless of where they operate.
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He added that although the criminal case had been concluded, the thoughts of investigators remained with the victim’s family and the community affected by the tragic incident.
