A Nigerian national wanted in the United States for cyber fraud was arrested in Quezon City, in the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said in a statement on Monday, October 28, 2024. 

Immigration Commissioner, Joel Anthony Viado stated that the BI fugitive search unit (FSU) nabbed Ahmed Kamilu Alex, 35, along Panay Avenue in Barangay Paligsahan on October 11,  months after he was included in the immigration blacklist for being a fugitive from justice.

According to Viado, US authorities alleged that Alex conspired with two other accomplices in perpetrating a cyber fraud scheme by creating bogus websites that mimicked legitimate US government agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The suspects reportedly managed to charge their unsuspecting victims, who are mostly military personnel, between US$500 to US$48,500 purportedly as payment for processing their emergency leave requests through the fake websites.

The US government requested Alex’s deportation so he could stand trial for his crimes. He is now under Immigration custody in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City while awaiting deportation proceedings. 

"He will remain in our immigration blacklist and banned from re-entering the Philippines after he is deported,” the BI said.