Nigerian man extradited to U.S. over sextortion case that led to teen's death

A Nigerian man has been extradited to the United States to face charges in a sextortion case linked to the death of a 17-year-old American.

Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, 24, from Osun state, arrived in the U.S. on Saturday after Nigerian authorities secured an agreement that he would not face the death penalty if convicted.

He appeared in a South Carolina federal court on Monday, wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackled, pleading not guilty to charges including child exploitation resulting in death. The charge carries a mandatory 30-year prison sentence and could lead to life behind bars.

Investigators say Lawal posed as a young woman online to lure Gavin Guffey, a teenager, into sending intimate images. He then allegedly blackmailed and harassed him for money, even targeting the boy's family. Guffey later took his own life.

Lawal remains in custody without bail, with his next hearing set for Monday.

His extradition follows a growing crackdown on sextortion scams linked to Nigerian cybercriminals. Last year, two Nigerian brothers were sentenced in the U.S. for a similar scheme, marking the first successful prosecution of Nigerians for sextortion. Tech giant Meta has also removed thousands of accounts targeting victims in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s National Cyber Crime Centre has pledged more action, saying millions have been invested in technology to fight such crimes.