A NIGERIAN national wanted in the United States of America for cyber crimes that allegedly victimized active and retired military officers has been arrested in Quezon City by operatives of the Bureau of Immigrations
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said 35-year-old Ahmed Kamilu Alex was arrested last October 11 along Panay Avenue in Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City by operatives from the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit.
Viado said the Nigerian was arrested upon the request of the US government, which he said has sought the African’s deportation so he could stand trial for his crimes.
Alex has been on the BI’s wanted list since August this year.
“His illegal activities were earlier reported to the Department of Justice by the US Defense Criminal Investigative Services which was subsequently endorsed to the BI for law enforcement action,” Viado said.
Based on information from US authorities, Alex supposedly 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.
“Through the said fake websites, the suspects reportedly managed to charge their unsuspecting victims, who are mostly military personnel, between US500 to US$48,500 purportedly as payment for processing their emergency leave requests,” Viado said.
The Nigerian is presently detained at the BI custodial facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings.
“He will remain in our immigration blacklist and banned from re-entering the Philippines after he is deported,” Viado said of the Nigerian.