American Embassy and Federal Investigators Push for Closer Collaboration with EFCC to Combat Online Sex Scams

The United States Consulate in Lagos and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are pushing for enhanced information exchange with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to bolster their joint efforts in combating sextortion and transnational financial crimes.

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This call to action was made during a courtesy visit by SSA James Smith, the Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché of the United States Consulate, and SSA Thomas Pepper of the FBI Cyber Division Headquarters, to the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Bawa Kaltungo.

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The meeting, which took place on Monday, was highlighted in a statement posted by the anti-graft agency on its X handle on Tuesday, and it also saw the US officials praising the EFCC for its investigative prowess and sustained efforts in tackling sextortion and transnational financial crimes.

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According to SSA James Smith, the primary objective of the visit was to fortify the existing collaboration between the U.S. Consulate and the EFCC, with a particular focus on information sharing to combat crimes involving both Nigerians and foreigners.

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Smith emphasized that the visit aimed to strengthen the existing partnership between the two entities, specifically in the area of information sharing, to effectively combat criminal activities.

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In response, ACE I Bawa Kaltungo expressed his gratitude to the delegation for the visit and assured them of the commission's continued cooperation, stating that he was committed to providing utmost cooperation where necessary.

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The engagement, as noted by the EFCC, underscored the commitment of both countries to strengthening their cooperation against sextortion, cybercrime, and other transnational financial crimes.

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In a significant development, the FBI arrested 22 Nigerians in April 2025, who were allegedly involved in a financially motivated sextortion scheme linked to more than 20 teen suicides in the United States since 2021.

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The arrests were part of a groundbreaking global operation, codenamed Artemis, which was launched in 2023 after receiving thousands of reports of teen boys being coerced into sharing explicit photos online and then extorted with threats of exposure unless they paid.

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According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, the number of sextortion victims rose from over 34,000 in 2023 to more than 54,000 last year, with financial losses totaling nearly $65 million over the past two years.

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Between October 2021 and March 2023, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recorded over 12,600 minors, mostly boys, being targeted in sextortion schemes.