FBI: Nigerian scammers tried to steal $5m from U.S. businesses including multiple universities

Three Nigerian nationals were extradited to the United States this week on charges related to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme targeting multiple businesses including U.S. universities. 

The individuals "targeted unsuspecting victims including universities in North Carolina, Texas and Virginia, and attempted to cause more than $5 million in losses," the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release on Wednesday.

The defendants were charged in part with "wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for defrauding a North Carolina university of more than $1.9 million via a business email compromise scheme," the department said; similar attempts were made in Texas and Virginia. 

The defendants were originally arrested in April of 2020; their appeals to the UK High Court to avoid extradition were rejected last month.