11 Nigerians Arrested in Thailand Over International Romance Scam
At least 11 Nigerians have been arrested in Thailand after immigration and police authorities uncovered a suspected 13-member international romance scam syndicate operating in the Muang Thong Thani area.
The arrests, which took place on Monday, were reported by local news outlet Thailand News on Thursday.
Investigations began in 2025 when a Thai woman from Nong Khai filed a complaint alleging that she had been defrauded by a Facebook user posing as a Chinese engineer. The victim claimed the suspect convinced her to transfer over two million baht into a mule account.
According to the report, the suspect, who identified himself as “Bingwen Fu,” allegedly used social media platforms Facebook and Line to build a romantic relationship before claiming he could not access funds for a construction project and asking the victim to transfer the money.
Police traced the transactions, charged the Thai account holders, and identified the organised network operating from a condominium in Nonthaburi. Members were reportedly assigned roles such as scammers, account withdrawers, and recruiters.
Based on intelligence gathered, Immigration Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyaluck authorised a joint operation. Officers discovered the suspects actively conducting live romance scams on electronic devices during the raid.
A total of 13 suspects—11 Nigerians and 2 Ivorians—were arrested at the hideout, some attempting to escape barefoot. Investigators noted that eight suspects had overstayed their visas, while five Nigerians had entered Thailand illegally via the Laos border. All now face charges related to visa violations and illegal entry.
Authorities seized 34 electronic devices, including computers and mobile phones, containing evidence of coordinated scams that involved impersonating wealthy European and Asian nationals to defraud Thai and foreign women. Investigators also found links to the Nong Khai case and traced funds transferred to Nigeria via cryptocurrency. Police are expanding the investigation to identify additional members of the network.
The arrests follow another high-profile case involving a Nigerian in Thailand. Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech was arrested last week in Koh Pha Ngan for allegedly fleeing trial over a drug-peddling case. He was first detained in March 2025 for allegedly selling 25.71 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer.
