Ex-US Prosecutor Recounts Nigeria Mission to Track Alleged ‘Yahoo Boys’

Former United States prosecutor Erin West has recounted her visit to Nigeria to track down suspected internet fraudsters accused of operating sextortion schemes that target teenagers, saying the trip exposed the scale of the cybercrime network and the challenges of tackling it.

West, who shared details of the mission in a video posted online, said she travelled with her team after investigators traced digital evidence to individuals believed to be involved in blackmailing minors into sending explicit images before demanding money from them.

She explained that the breakthrough came after a professor analysed a phone number linked to one of the suspects, leading investigators to bank account details and other information that helped identify the alleged operator.

According to her, the team was determined to locate the suspect before leaving Nigeria.

“We came all the way to Nigeria to find the people who blackmail teenagers. A name finally became a place on a map. It was our last 12 hours, and we were determined to track down the scammer,” she said.

West said they visited the suspect’s residence but found no one at home. The team later established contact with the individual through a video call, during which she accused him of posing as a teenage girl to deceive and extort a young victim.

“You were pretending to be a teenage girl. You got him to send explicit images, and then you blackmailed him,” she said during the call.

She identified herself as a former US prosecutor and told the suspect that investigators had already built a substantial profile of his activities.

“I met with the EFCC. I met with the Ministry of Justice. I know where you live, who you associate with, your phone numbers and your locations,” West said.

She alleged that the suspect was part of a criminal enterprise linked to the deaths of several teenagers, noting that dozens of victims had reportedly taken their own lives after falling prey to sextortion.

“The work you are doing is killing teenage boys. We know of at least 60 suicides linked to these crimes,” she said.

West disclosed that although her team submitted all the information gathered during the investigation to Nigerian authorities, no arrests had been made.

“We turned over all the information we gathered to the authorities, but unfortunately, there have been no arrests yet. We believe our scammer is still out there, contributing to the scam economy,” she said.

She, however, argued that apprehending one suspect would do little to dismantle the broader cybercrime ecosystem.

“So what do we do with all of this? I just told a scammer in no uncertain terms that he was going to jail. And maybe he will. But arresting one man in one town doesn’t stop a machine this size,” she said.

West also contended that the infrastructure enabling sextortion extends beyond Nigeria, pointing to the role of technology platforms and payment systems.

“This machine runs on American rails. It takes place on American apps—the very apps that our teenagers use every day. And the money movement? American dollars. It’s the payment apps, the gift cards, and the crypto that turn a threat into cash and ultimately ruin lives,” she said.

While acknowledging that Nigerian officials advocated more arrests to curb the crime, she maintained that law enforcement alone could not eliminate the problem.

“The people I met told me the only thing that stops this is arrests. More arrests. And they’re right. But arrests only come after the damage is already done,” she said.

West called on technology companies to strengthen safeguards on their platforms to prevent online sextortion, arguing that they are in the best position to stop such crimes before victims are targeted.