A 67-year-old Louisiana man, Michael Neu, has been arrested in connection to his alleged involvement in a notorious “Nigerian prince” email scam, according to police.
Neu, a resident of Slidell, was charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering after an 18-month investigation. Authorities say he acted as a middleman, transferring stolen funds to co-conspirators in Nigeria.
The scam, which has defrauded victims for years, typically involves emails from individuals posing as Nigerian royalty or officials, promising large sums of money in exchange for upfront fees or personal information. Despite growing awareness, these schemes continue to exploit unsuspecting victims worldwide.
Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal warned the public to be cautious of unsolicited emails requesting money or personal details, emphasizing that “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Law enforcement officials continue to combat such scams, though international fraud cases remain difficult to prosecute.
