Thai police have arrested six Nigerian nationals accused of operating a sophisticated AI-powered romance scam syndicate from a luxury riverside condominium in Nonthaburi, following an investigation that began with a cocaine trafficking case.
The suspects were apprehended during coordinated raids, codenamed Dark Room Crackdown, carried out on Friday at a high-end condominium complex near Phra Nangklao Bridge along the Chao Phraya River, authorities said.
The suspects are identified as Denis, 23 – overstayed by 726 days; Ejikeme, 24 – overstayed by 827 days; Ibekwe, 29 – overstayed by 1,166 days; Okorom, 26 – overstayed by 695 days; Nwosu, 30 – overstayed by 1,560 days; and Obielu, 35 – overstay status not specified.
Investigators disclosed that the operation stemmed from the earlier arrest of a Nigerian man identified as Patrick and three associates in April over alleged drug trafficking activities. During that operation, police reportedly seized assets valued at about $68,000, prompting a deeper financial investigation that uncovered suspicious transactions linked to several foreign nationals living in the condominium.
According to Thai authorities, the suspects had been residing in overcrowded luxury apartments under student visa arrangements despite not being enrolled in any educational institution or engaged in legitimate employment.
Police executed search warrants on three condominium units after intelligence suggested the apartments were being used as operational bases for online fraud activities. Officers reportedly forced entry after the occupants refused to cooperate.
One of the suspects allegedly attempted to escape by climbing over a balcony, while another was discovered hiding on a bathroom floor while allegedly warning occupants in neighboring apartments through text messages about the police operation.
During the raid, officers recovered 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank passbooks. Investigators said several of the seized devices were still logged into active romance scam conversations with victims at the time of the arrests.
Authorities revealed that the syndicate specialised in romance scams targeting older Thai women through fake online identities. The suspects allegedly posed as pilots, engineers, doctors and United States military officers to gain the trust of victims before manipulating them into sending money.
Police said the group used artificial intelligence-generated images of Western men and fake video calls to make the online personas appear authentic.
Investigators also recovered what they described as “sexy chat” scripts allegedly designed to emotionally manipulate victims into transferring money after being told that valuable packages were being held at customs and required clearance fees.
Thai police said the scammers relied heavily on psychological manipulation and emotional bonding to deceive victims into draining their bank accounts.
The six suspects are currently facing initial charges bordering on illegal association and immigration overstay violations, while additional fraud and romance scam-related charges are expected to follow as investigations continue.
Authorities said further inquiries are ongoing to determine the full scale of the operation, including possible international financial links and the total amount allegedly defrauded from victims.
