6 Nigerians arrested in Thailand over AI romance scam operation

• Six Nigerian men were arrested in Nonthaburi during a raid on a luxury riverside condominium used as a base for the scam operation.

• The group allegedly used fake identities, AI-generated faces, and scripted conversations to deceive victims into sending money.

• The bust followed a drug-related investigation and led to the seizure of phones, laptops, and financial documents, with further fraud charges expected.

Thai police have arrested six Nigerian men aged between 23 and 35 in Nonthaburi, Thailand, for allegedly running a romance scam network that used artificial intelligence-generated images and fake video calls to deceive victims.

The suspects were arrested during a raid on May 22 at a luxury riverside condominium along the Chao Phraya River.

Police say the group was operating from multiple high-end apartment units near Phra Nangklao Bridge, where they were living on student visas but were not enrolled in any school or engaged in legal work.

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According to police, the operation began after an earlier drug investigation in April involving a Nigerian man named Patrick and three others.

Authorities say that case led them to financial transactions and assets worth about 2.5 million baht, which later pointed them to the scam network.

Police reports indicate that the group used fake identities, posing as pilots, doctors, engineers, and U.S. military officers.

They built online relationships with mostly older Thai women and later convinced them to send money by claiming a valuable package had been held at customs and required payment for release.

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Investigators also found AI-generated Western faces used to create fake video calls, along with scripts designed to manipulate victims emotionally. Police said some victims were persuaded to empty their savings after trusting the conversations.

During the raid, officers seized 18 mobile phones, three laptops, and bank documents. Some suspects tried to escape or hide when police arrived, but all six were eventually arrested.

The men now face charges of illegal association and immigration overstays. Authorities say further fraud-related charges are expected as investigations continue.