The US Department of Justice has unsealed criminal complaints against six individuals, including Nicodemus Hingima Monyancha, a Kenyan national, for their alleged involvement in an international scam operation. The scam, which was based in Madagascar, targeted hundreds of Americans through fake online profiles on dating platforms. According to investigators, the scammers created fake profiles posing as attractive women to establish contact with American targets.
Once trust was built, conversations were moved to WhatsApp, and victims were introduced to investment opportunities involving non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Targets were directed to fraudulent websites and encouraged to link their cryptocurrency wallets, after which the scammers allegedly drained their digital assets without their knowledge. The FBI traced roughly 74 cryptocurrency wallets to the scheme and connected them to approximately 800 victims across the United States.
An FBI affidavit estimated that at least $516,695 was stolen through 127 separate transactions. Investigators say the network relocated its base to Madagascar in early 2025 after law enforcement pressure in Cambodia disrupted its operations. Authorities also indicated the organisation had ties to Chinese transnational criminal groups.
In August 2026, FBI agents travelled to Madagascar to assist local law enforcement in raiding suspected scam sites. During the operation, authorities dismantled 13 compounds and seized more than 3,200 electronic devices. Among the materials recovered were employment records, staff rosters, and training documents allegedly used to instruct workers on emotionally manipulating victims.
Monyancha faces charges alongside five co-defendants: Malaysian national Chui Kok Wa, identified by investigators as the alleged ringleader; Cameroonian Gislen Neukeu; Ugandan Shamusa Ninsiima; and Rwandan nationals Clement Mugiraneza and Merveille Mudacumura. The US Department of Justice has called on Madagascar to cooperate with American authorities and extradite all six defendants to face trial.
This case is not an isolated incident, as earlier reports indicated that Isaac Oduro Boateng and Inusah Ahmed, popularly known as Kofi Boat and Pascal, had pleaded guilty in their US romance scam case. The duo were extradited from Ghana to the US on August 7, 2025, and agreed to pay over $41m in restitution.
Key points
- The FBI identified Nicodemus Hingima Monyancha, a Kenyan national, as one of six individuals facing federal charges in the US for an alleged international scam operation.
- The scam operation, based in Madagascar, targeted approximately 800 Americans and resulted in the theft of at least $516,695.
- Authorities dismantled 13 compounds and seized over 3,200 electronic devices in Madagascar, recovering materials used to instruct workers on emotionally manipulating victims.
