A Nigerian man being questioned over the death of a West Australian widow he was allegedly scamming is being investigated over more than 30 online personas used to con women worldwide.
Nigerian police have confirmed they have arrested 28-year-old Orowo Jesse Omokoh in connection with the death Wagin woman Jette Jacobs, who was found dead in South Africa last February.
The grandmother is thought to have sent tens of thousands of dollars to Nigeria during her four-year online "romance" with the man she knew as Jesse.
The Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) - which investigates money-laundering and online scams - said Australian Federal Police believe Omokoh had defrauded Ms Jacobs of up to $US90,000.
They are holding Omokoh, who is also being quizzed about how the 67-year-old died after he had originally claimed he discovered her body.
Despite Ms Jacobs' money, credit cards, jewellery and laptop all going missing, the man was released from South African custody and fled to Nigeria, but was re-arrested in late January the EFCC confirmed.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dom Blackshaw of WA's Major Fraud Squad said they were supplying African counterparts with financial information to help with their interrogation.
And he also revealed Omokoh is believed to have been conning women on several continents using more than 30 false online identities.
"They are interviewing him with regards to his use of numerous online profiles to defraud multiple people globally," Detective Blackshaw told ABC radio.
"He has 32 online profiles in different names, and each of those have been used to engage with women online. It is about cracking open the network of people around the world."
Ms Jacobs' family are said to be grateful for the efforts of the African authorities.
"If I can speak for them, it is more than they expected and we are very appreciative of what is occurring on the other side of the world for us," Detective Blackshaw said.
While fraud charges could be imminent, South African authorities are yet to finalise toxicology reports on Ms Jacobs' body, which are crucial to the investigation.
"They have interviewed him about the death - and there is some conflicting information from him about that," detective Blackshaw said.
"But we are relying with what occurs in South Africa. We can just request these matters be expedited, and lobby the police there to raise the profile (of the case)."
