Authorities in Slidell, Louisiana, arrested 67-year-old Michael Neu for his involvement in a notorious “Nigerian prince” scam.

Neu was charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering after an 18-month investigation revealed he had facilitated hundreds of fraudulent transactions, sending stolen funds to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

The scam, which has been around for years, involves fraudsters posing as Nigerian royalty or officials, promising victims a large inheritance or financial reward in exchange for personal information or upfront fees. Despite widespread awareness, many people continue to fall for the scheme, leading to significant financial losses.

Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal urged the public to be cautious, warning that if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. He emphasized the difficulty of investigating such scams, particularly when the perpetrators operate from outside the U.S.

Authorities continue to warn individuals to be wary of unsolicited messages requesting personal information or money, as scammers often use sophisticated tactics to deceive their victims.