A Nigerian man has become the latest person who will face charges in connection with a romance fraud racket, after he was arrested abroad and deported to Malta, police said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the police said that after a number of people were charged in relation to a romance fraud scheme last year and that investigations into the case have continued since then.

These investigations, the police said, resulted in the identification of another person who was allegedly involved – a 40-year-old Nigerian man who lived in St. Paul’s Bay.

It resulted that the man had escaped to the United Kingdom, however he was arrested there a few weeks ago on the basis of an International Arrest Warrant issued by local authorities.

He was subsequently deported to Malta and is expected to face charges relating to money laundering and of being in receipt of stolen items before Duty Magistrate Rachel Montebello.

The prosecution will be led by lawyers Karl Muscat, Sean Xerri de Caro and Abigail Caruana from the Attorney General’s office, together with Inspector Sarah Kathleen Zerafa from the Paola district and Inspector Claire Vella Borg from the Financial Crimes Department.